My writing is in need of some serious CPR. Or at least, the first 2 chapters of my latest novel are.

Still waiting to hear back from another reader, but I expect much of the same.

To scrap or not to scrap --  that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in my (delusional) mind to suffer the slings and arrows of continued dead-end plots and lifeless characters, or to take a shredder to my pages and by scrapping them, end them. To quit, to move on to a new project. No more.  And by move on to say we end the heartache and thousand natural shocks that my bad writing is heir to, 'tis a consummation devoutly to be wished. To quit, to move on; to move on, perchance to get stuck in the same whirling vortex known as the crapper: ay, there's the rub; for in that new project what new calamitous crap will I write when I shake off the mantle of this failed genre must give us pause...

Ok, enough of the bad Hamlet. I have to go to work now and spend 8+ hours doing something I hate before I can figure out what I want to do with my writing, though I'm seriously leaning toward shelving this for a few months (if not scrapping it) and working something entirely different to see if I can find my niche. Maybe then I won't need a defibrillator for my prose.

Chiu Yu-kit, a former journalist at Asia Television (ATV), admitted in court to the act while he was alone on the top tier of a double-decker bus on July 31, The Standard and other newspapers reported.

An off-duty officer made the arrest after he jogged past the bus and saw Chiu standing on a seat naked and facing a window, the court was told.

Chiu, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of indecency in public, but added that he committed the offence only to release his stress.

Principal magistrate Josiah Lam, put Chiu on a one-year good behaviour bond and advised him to exercise or talk to others if he wanted to relax.

Chiu resigned from ATV shortly after incident, which was reported in many local papers.

Last month, a "lonely and disturbed" Hong Kong man became stuck and had to be freed by emergency services after attempting to have sex with a park bench.

Sad was my initial reaction, yes because first I didn't expect them to do it that soon, much more doing it all at the same time. Second was, I admit that they are good team members, well, they used to be, not until recently when they are turning into some sort of pain in the ass. Really they are! And I'm quite pissed!

Are resignation letters really meant to be written with lies? I mean, why say, "I'm thankful for the opportunity and all that the company has provided me with... grateful for the whatever it is...etc...etc..." and the "I am willing to help or something for the smooth transition..etc... " when you are becoming such as ass on your remaining days? I thought you say, you'll help with the smooth transition, whatever!

I am just so pissed of that.  While I don't want to glorify myself, but I've already worked for different firms and submitted more than a couple of resignations, but I was never a headache to them during my last few days. What I wrote in my resignation letters were all true. Even when I had some horrible experiences with one of the companies I've worked for, still I remained professional. But I didn't have to put that "I regret leaving them..etc"... because I don't talk bullshit to anyone. I believe that if you are leaving the company, and you happened to be in bad terms with some people from the management, I think it is better not to write any lies on your resignation letter, like being sad about leaving and all that.. if that's the case, better state that you simply are just leaving and wanted a career change. You don't even have to explain things on the letter. While I know that you must keep the letter positive as it will be kept on your 201 file, which could be dig up later if there is a need for it, still writing hoax on your letter just to please your immediate supervisor, or any HR officer reading it isn't really a good idea. I think it's better to be true than be "plastic!" Get real. While you don't want to burn the bridge, you also don't want to write lies on your resignation letter while in your mind, you even vomit writing them.

I am just pissed of them. Well I was. Hopefully for the remaining 3 weeks, they will not give me anymore headaches.

FINALLY! i've done it though i'm feeling rather more deflated then anything. After too many years of moping about i've taken a leave of bloody absence with no intention of going back ( of course i'm still "officially" enrolled- just in case i wind up broke on the streets, there's always the lovely couches at the Law faculty i could sleep on)

right now i'm just gonna spend the next few months watching lots of DVD's, going to theatre shows and trying to write as much as possible- ahhh i feel my RSI'ed fingers relax already

My friends went to retreat yesterday, i was there and i even helped them carry their bags to put it in the bus.. then i went to the library and made a little research.. after so, i waited for the pack run that the club organizes every afternoon. it was already late about 6:30pm when we strated to jog the new route for the diagnostic run.. it was hard... well all i can say is that.....

yesterday was one of the worst days of my life.... I can't imagine myself yesterday!! (cry)

From my last post about the Mt. tarak thing, i tried yesterday the diagnostic run... the result was a failure! i can't imagine myself quitting, but i really quitted! im a QUITTER!!! waaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh (cry).

i hated what i felt yeasterday, i cant make it in time... im shock with my running performance... its a mess! i can't describe it.. so tomorrow i'll be training around the park... i promised my sefl i will not let that happen again... OMG! so i have to sleep early now...

Tarzan Kokoity*, [South Ossetia]’s Deputy Speaker of parliament, announced that South Ossetia would be absorbed into Russia soon so that its people could live in “one united Russian state” with their ethnic kin in North Ossetia.

Doesn't Russia know it's bad to pick up on the rebound?

*yes, Tarzan

It seems, my friends, that I am in fact living in interesting times.  And it seems last Wednesday was exceptionally 'interesting'.  Last Wednesday is the day that I quit my job.

Events converged so that I went home and told Chris that I was ready.  Ready to quit my job.  Ready to take the full chance on my dream.  Ready to succeed and ready to fail.  It was the straw event that broke the camel's back created the visceral catalyst for change.

I spent that night trying to sleep as occassional bouts of fear and terror and adrenaline washed through my body.  General 'upset-edness' pervaded my being.  Believe me, it's hard to think when your brain is amped up, when your 'fight or flight' reflexes are engaged.  It's too busy acting like a hamster on a hamster wheel. 

And I'd had a rather emotionally trying day.  On the one hand, I was upset that I hadn't handled things as professionally as I had wished to, that I had been reacting out of fear the whole day.  On the other hand, I was upset that I hadn't given anyone a piece of my mind.  Was I, I wondered, getting 'soft'?

As the sun crept over the horizon, I was still up, in overdrive.  Scared.  Exhausted.  Yet sure. 

And, by the way, totally oblivious.  You see, I'd completely forgotten about an intention that I set.  A '90 Day Challenge' to quit my job and change my life.  (An intention that I 'tweaked' to 180 days out of concern for the economy.) 

When I mentioned that I was actually leaving, a good friend reminded me of my 90 Day Challenge.

"Wasn't that about 90 days ago?" she asked.

I quickly checked to see when I had 'set' that intention.  It was June 25, 2008.  My last day?  September 19, 2008.  I pulled up my calendar and calculator.  Redid the calculations to be sure.

It was 88 days exactly.

What have I learned about intention setting?

1.  'Tweaking' didn't have the same power as setting the intention.  I don't know if it is because I subsconsciously felt like I was giving myself a useless extention or because I didn't do it with the same deliberate intention, with the same intense emotional connection.

Whatever the reason, I am leaving in 88 days, not in 180.

2.  The universe is not afraid for you.  At all.

3.  Take great care with your ideas and the monologue of your mind.  (Be careful what you wish for.)

4.  Don't make commitments unless you are absolutely certain that you are willing to keep them.

5.  Your word can be law.

What about the future?

I have about 6 months figured out.  That's it.  Will I be a success?  Will I be a failure?  Will I have to jump back into the rat race? 

I don't know.  But I definitely know what intention I will be setting for myself!

Frankly this is good for me. I'm a casual and I'm now playing on a much more level playing field. Poor ubers don't have time between fun runs and father's day. Well I have the same amount of time, and I'll be keeping a steady pace till the Wrath expansion.

Recruitment is back on most guild's radar, as they keep number up for whatever run they're progressing on. But this is not "an end of the world" issue. A large share of the players are taking only breaks, and even those folks who are saying "I'm done with wow" have  good chance of returning. This game is like icing covered smack delivered to your home by supermodels. Its hard not to look when they have something new, and you do remember the good old days all too well.

This does not have to be a fight, this can be embraced.

• Farming just got way easier.
• AH prices will now vary a lot more, making profit for the marketeers.
• Folks are using a lot of alts, which makes lower level runs possible again, rather than only the heroics being viable.

Maybe some of the bad players are taking breaks too, as my last few pugs have been good. Granted some players are trying to extend themselves beyond gear, but the players are better.

I like it quiet, it'll give me time to think and when the population springs back it will be exciting too.

Who's next ? Is it going to be Taro ?

Fukuda quits as leader of Japan after 11 months

From International Herald Tribune

Yasuo Fukuda resigned as the prime minister of Japan on Monday,
after less than a year in office marked by political gridlock, plunging
approval ratings and disarray within the governing Liberal Democratic Party.

"I feel it's best to hand over the reins of power to a new leader," Fukuda said
in Tokyo on Monday evening. His 11-month tenure was the shortest for
a Japanese leader since 1994.

Fukuda is the second prime minister to resign since the Liberal Democratic Party,
or LDP, lost control of the upper house of Parliament in July 2007 to the Democratic
Party of Japan. Fukuda's predecessor, Shinzo Abe, also resigned suddenly after just
12 months in the job. The governing party's inability to work with the opposition - or
win popular support for road taxes and higher health care premiums for the elderly - suggests
that it will have to struggle to maintain its decades-long grip on power.

Recent political gridlock led to the first leadership vacancy at the
Bank of Japan in more than eight decades and helped drive the country's
benchmark stock index, the Nikkei 225 stock average, down about 20 percent
since Junichiro Koizumi, Abe's predecessor, left office.

"The 53-year-old LDP is reaching the end of its political shelf life," said
Masayuki Fukuoka, a professor of political science at Hakuoh University north of Tokyo.

The party is required to hold lower-house elections by September 2009.
It has held power through coalitions for all but about a year since it was formed in 1955.

The coalition had to use its two-thirds majority to override upper-house
vetoes on legislation to renew refueling missions in the Indian Ocean for
the U.S. military and taxes earmarked for road construction. It was the first
time that the lower house had used the maneuver since 1951.

Fukuda's approval rating has fallen by almost half since he took office
last September. Public support for his cabinet fell to 29 percent, down
9 percentage points from early August, the newspaper The Nikkei reported
Monday, citing its own telephone survey. Fukuda's disapproval rating rose
14 points, to 63 percent. The Nikkei said it contacted 1,549 households and
obtained 866 valid responses.

Fukuda replaced Abe, who cited his inability "to gain the trust of the people"
when he stepped down. Abe resigned after his approval rating fell below 30 percent.

Fukuda, the first prime minister whose father also held the position,
beat former Foreign Minister Taro Aso in the LDP's party vote for the leadership.
He had served as cabinet chief for former prime ministers Koizumi and Yoshiro Mori.

When he assembled his first cabinet in September, Fukuda said he wanted
to "revive" the LDP by transforming it into a political party that "firmly implements policies."

Aso will handle the selection of a new party leader, Fukuda said. Analysts
said that Aso, who is the LDP's secretary general and an outspoken,
right-leaning politician, was the front-runner to succeed Fukuda.

Speculation had been simmering that the unpopular prime minister might
be replaced before a general election that must be held by September 2009.
Fukuda's resignation does not automatically mean an election. His party
must pick a new leader and win the confidence of the lower house if it
wants to carry on leading Japan's coalition government.

"The LDP has had no leadership, and is in the process of disintegrating," Gerald Curtis,
a political science professor at Columbia University, said before Fukuda's
resignation Monday. "Japan is a political basket case."

The brief terms of Abe and Fukuda contrasted with that of Koizumi, who left
office after five-and-half years. When he was elected, Japan faced economic
deflation and recession. Koizumi cut spending and urged banks to write off bad loans.

***

First, it started off with Abe when he got bullied and his resignation created history, quite a bitter one for this developed country. Next, the person who took his baton was Fukuda and only after 11 months, he quited just today on the 1st September 2008, creating another so-called surprising bitter history for Japan. Fukuda wasn't functioning as he should. The numbers weren't supporting him at all from the very beginning and the atmosphere of him quiting (after his big failure to change things around during his recent cabinet reshuffling that was just done a few months ago) had been looming around. Now, the question arises, "Who's next?" but it has always been obvious in this country. They always prepare for its nation of whom they should choose. Japan's needs a charismatic character which can lead the country and at the same time keep the heat going. Will Taro be the one ? We'll see but many of us are quite sure who it will be when the news is out about the birth of a new cabinet in the near future.

Es muy facil, conseguimos un liveCD de Ubuntu, reiniciamos y lo corremos.

1. Abrimos una consola y ejecutamos los siguientes comandos:

$ sudo grub # ejecutamos el interprete de comando de grub
find /boot/grub/stage1 # busca donde esta la partición de ubuntu
root (hdX,Y) # poner el valor devuelto anterior
setup (hd0) # instala grub en nuestro primer disco duro (hd0)
quit # salimos del interprete de comando de grub

For the last time ever,

Thanks for readin'

Theflame12~

I am now officially addicted to Mobsters.

At least that's what it's said on my "status" indicator now for weeks on my "myspace" page. "Elizabeth is... "officially addicted to Mobsters." Mood: "intense."

This is NOT my fault. It is totally and completely the fault of Peter's son, who sent me an invite to join the game. Ordinarily I avoid computer and video games like the plague, having once thrown my back out and been couch-ridden for two months. I became so obsessed with SuperMario Brothers that upon my recovery, I nearly had to join a 12-Step Program.

I tossed the Nintendo® and never looked back. I won't even let my daughters have a PlayStation, or a Wii, or anything that connects to the television.

(They watch too much as it is; TV's another problem of mine to avoid. I don't watch TV - not out of snobbery, mind you: more like the 12-Step thing.

ANYTHING - no matter how stupid, like "America's Top Model" - will suck me in and mesmerize me, so better that I never turn the darn thing on in the first place.)

My kids are lucky to own Nintendo® DS thingies, upon which they play games where they train pretend robot puppies, or inhabit virtual cities with avatars of themselves with blue or pink hair.

One game they play cracks me up - they HAVE to own a house, and they HAVE to pay a mortgage on it, so they HAVE to have a job. THERE'S a game worth playing, I think.

But Mobsters? I dunno.

My accomplishments on Mobsters are dubious. I received one badge for achieving Level 3 in one day. I shuddered; how much time was I spending on this addictive game, anyway?

Another badge I received was for growing my mob size to at least five members (we're now 18 and growing.) Wasting my powers of charm and persuasion on a myspace game? When I'm collecting quarters for a loaf of bread for sandwiches?

Is this stupid?

Definitely.

Am I still playing it everyday?

Definitely.

In real life, I am mostly broke, being an artist who is a lot more concerned about the art than the business.

On Mobsters, I am rich. I own several vehicles, including three armored cars and some Bentleys. In real life, I have a minivan.

In my Mobster arena, I own all the weapons - in multiples - that it is possible to own.

In real life, I abhor the very thought of guns (although Dad, before he died, DID teach me how to shoot straight, and I

just learned that both my wacky sisters - and my far wackier Mom - are getting hardcore into weaponry; one sister is now collecting shotguns. Shudder.)

In general, I am a peaceful person. Wait, I take that back, in case Peter should read this. Okay, well maybe not totally peaceful - but when I DO get angry, I get over it very quickly, and in general, I always look for the gentle solution to any problem. Not only that, but I have very little tolerance for injustice, and both Peter and I tend to uphold the

rights of the underdog.

On Mobsters, I not only LOOK for fights, but I absolutely pick on those littler than I am. I seek them OUT.

Even my very Mobsters name is unlike me. I prefer to be called "Elizabeth" - when folks attempt to shorten it to "Liz," (which makes my face want to scrunch up as if I've eaten vinegar-soaked lemons), I politely let them know my wishes: "It's a few more syllables, but I'm worth it."

In Mobster-land, I'm "lizrox."

It all sort of reminds me of this one leather jacket I have. It's my favorite, actually. For some reason, whenever I wear it, I feel just like Kate Beckinsale in the movie "Underworld" - you know, the one where she's this really sexy, really tough superhero vampire?

I'm not a vampire. Or a superhero. But the jacket - especially when I zip it all the way up to the neck - makes me feel really sexy, and really tough - and although I'd never try to leap off a tall building or anything, or jump into a moving convertible, it kind of makes me feel as though I could.

Mostly, I just like to wear it on cool evenings when I'm out walking my big black dog, Tucker. Cool black leather jacket, cool black dog, cool chick.

Cool Mobster.

Guess you're never too old for a little play pretend. And it's not TOO much of a waste of time. After all, you run out of "stamina" and "energy" and "health" - and I, personally, tend to run out of money after just a few minutes of play at a time, and have to quit.

So since I'm not ACTUALLY whacking anyone really...

If you want to join my mob, add me as a friend.

http://myspace.com/lizwb 

مردی به قهوه خانه می رود و می گوید : "لطفا برایم سه فنجان چای بیاورید. "

پس متصدی قهوه خانه سه فنجان چای برایش می آورد مرد شروع به نوشیدن اولین فنجان چای می کند ، سپس بعدی و در آخر سومین فنجان را نیز بالا می کشد.

دوباره سه تای دیگر سفارش می دهد ، اینبار قهوه چی می گوید : "آقا من می دانم که شما چای را گرم دوست دارید. پس من می توانم یک فنجان چای برایتان بیاورم و پس از میل کردن آن فنجان بعدی را بیاورم و همین طور تا آخر ؛ شما هم می توانید با آسودگی چای خود را میل کنید. "

مرد می گوید : "شما که نمی دانید ، من دوتا برادر دارم یکی تو یزد زندگی می کنه و دیگری تو اراک . ما به همدیگر قول دادیم که هر هفته شب جمعه ها با هم چای بخوریم و من حالا به قولم وفا می کنم ... "

قهوه چی فکر کرد که این رسم خوبی است و هر هفته وقتی که مرد وارد قهوه خانه می شد ، یک دست چای برایش می برد. یک هفته وقتی که آن مرد وارد قهوه خانه شد تنها دو تا چای سفارش داد . او چای ها را نوشید و سپس دوتای دیگر سفارش داد.

مد قهوه چی با ناراحتی گفت : "رسم شما را می دانم . فقط خواستم مرگ یکی از برادرانتان را به شما تسلیت بگویم و اینکه من هم از این قضیه ناراحت هستم . "

اولی: فرق بین مرد قانون و قانون شکن چیه؟

دومی: قانون شکن همیشه دستگیر می شه.

پلیس مردی را که با حالت مستی در حال رانندگی بود متوقف کرد.راننده مست گفت: اســـفر جون ، شما نیاز به اطلاعات دقیق دارید ؛ پس باید از من درخواست گواهینامه بکنید و این در حالی است که شما دیروز گواهینامه منو گرفتید !

A man walks into a pub and says, "Give me three pints of Guinness, please."

So the bartender brings him three pints and the man proceeds to alternately sip one, then the other, then the third until they're gone.

He then orders three more and the bartender says, "Sir, I know you like them cold, so you can start with one and I'll bring you a fresh one as soon as you're low."

The man says, "You don't understand. I have two brothers, one in Australia and one in the States. We made a vow to each other that every Saturday night we'd still drink together. So right now, my brothers have three Guinness Stouts too and we're drinking together."

The bartender thinks it's a wonderful tradition and every week he sets up the guy's three beers as soon as he enters in the bar. Then one week, the man comes in and orders only two. He drinks them, and then orders two more. The bartender sadly says, "Knowing your tradition, I'd just like to just say that I'm sorry that one of your brothers died."

The man replies, "Oh, my brothers are fine - I just quit drinking."

What's the difference between an in-law and an outlaw?

Outlaws are wanted.

A cop pulls over a drunk driver. The drunk driver says, "Ossssifer, you need to get your records straight. You just asked me for my license, but you took it away yesterday!"

It's just that it's been a year and no one comments on it, and the Google Ads certainly aren't going to be paying the $10 hosting fees. I'm still all about the eco/recycling/drive less/cycle more stuff, but I'm just getting zero return for my efforts. Anyway, more about this at the actual blog.

Knowledge is curse if it is not changing lives.

Share with friends you care for...

Happy life !

[Published In interest of beloved friends]

Just ignore that never ever ever part

I really don't see what everyone is so upset about. Jericho Scott, a 9-year-old pitcher with a 40-mph Nolan Ryan fastball was banned from pitching in his Pee Wee League in New Haven (it figures that the week I leave lowly New Haven for the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles, something like this happens).

The team tried to ignore the rule and pitch young Jericho (who, ironically, suffered the same fate as his CBS namesake), but when the opposing team saw the intimidating 50-pounder on the mound they packed up their gear, left their Capri Suns and Ding Dongs in the cooler, and returned home in time to catch the second half of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with this move. If anything, Jericho and his parents should be flattered and honored by this gesture of submission by his peers. Professional athletes always talking about wanting to 'go out on top.' Well I can't think of anything better than having the entire league refuse to play against you because you're too good.

Could you imagine this conversation going on in the Phillies dugout before a game with the Mets:

"So, they got Santana going tonight. You think we should go with Feliz or Dobbs?"

"Wait, I got a better idea. Let's just quit."

"Oh yeah, why didn't I think of that?"

Johan would be out of the league in no time. Despite the best efforts of his mother.

Jericho can now retire as the best 9-year-old in the history of the game. So good that his competitors would rather quit than suffer the embarrassment of striking out. Sounds like a good deal to me. I mean what are the odds that he would grow up to pitch in the Major Leagues? About the same as Danny Almonte starting next year's All-Star Game.

Word on the street is that Jericho has other talents, however. Just this last week alone, these incidents occured at his high school:

1. Jericho continually found his classmates' hiding places during 'Hide and Seek.' After the second game, they simply refused to hide. When he finished counting to ten and uncovered his eyes, he found 9-year-olds lined up single-file like lambs to the slaughter.
2. After running down several of his classmates after being tagged in 'Duck, Duck, Goose,' Jericho remained a Duck for the next six games. When one of his competitors accidentally called him 'Goose' and tapped his head, he simply fell to the ground in the fetal position and let Jericho tag him on the head.
3. Jericho's classmates refused to play MASH with him after he won the Mansion, Ferrari, Jessica Alba, and Pet Monkey that Poops Million Dollar Bills.

The New Haven community has certainly set a new precedent for youth activity. If someone is much better than you at something, don't try to test yourself against the best and take pride in the fact that you tried your best. Just complain until somebody removes him from the playing field. Then you can make things fair by taking your hacks against the kid with the inhaler and the Rec Specs.