Hobbies

Since I was a kid, I've liked playing guns, Lego, snooker, master mind and bridge. Could have been something wrong with my genes, am I supposed to be a man ?

Someone Special

FAITH

Faith is full confidence that God can rescue us from anything. Faith is also full commitment to God even if HE chooses not to rescue us. Heroes of faith know nothing can kill them if God wants them to go on living. Heroes of faith also would rather lay down their lives than deny God.

"This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith"

~ 1 John 5:4 ~

The Satisfied Wolf and the Ewe

A wolf, well-gorged with food, saw a ewe lying on her back on the ground unable to right herself. Realising that she had collapsed from fright, he approached her and reassured her. He promised that if she would utter three truths he would leave her alone.

So the ewe began by telling him she would like not to have to meet him again, or failing that she would like him to go blind, and thirdly she wished that wicked wolves would meet violent deaths so that we would suffer no more harm from you and you would make no more war against us.

The wolf acknowledged her veracity and left her to her own way.

~ Aesop's Fables ~

HEALING

Healing is a life time process;
throughout we learn to forgive and forget.
Time will tell as time will heal.
Bury our wounds yet let the scar to be seen.
An unexamined life is not worth living.
All ups and downs, merits or mishaps, in the end;
it is the journey that matters.
Over the years I have built a bridge for myself;
between the present and the past.
I moved forward, yet looked back once in a while,
seeing those hardships I'd endured as rewards.
If I fall... I stand up where I fell.
If things don't change, I change my way of looking;
in that sense, my sanity sustains.

Her Destiny

Happy Ending

In the final scene, Ariel and Eric are seen kissing on their wedding day. Both humans and merpeople turn out for the wedding, Sebastian escapes Louis again, and Triton accepts Eric as a part of the family.

Sad Version

Ariel is faced with an inherently unjust universe, where her love for the Prince and her wish to gain an immortal soul have a chance only through terrible sacrifices, privations and risks. Although Ariel has demonstrated over and over again by her courage, compassion and noble sacrifice, that her unconditional love for the Prince has failed ultimately. Ariel dies after throwing herself back into the ocean, dissolving into foam on the water, becoming a spirit of the air.

Forever Knight

TV Series: "Forever Knight"
Can't Run, Can't Hide (1994)

Director:Jon Cassar
Writer:James D. Parriott (creator)
Genre:Drama / Horror / Crime

Cast (Episode Credited cast)

Geraint Wyn Davies ... Det. Nicholas 'Nick' Knight
Catherine Disher ... Dr. Natalie Lambert
Nigel Bennett ... Lacroix
Deborah Duchene ... Janette
Natsuko Ohama ... Capt. Amanda Cohen
John Kapelos ... Det. Don Schanke

Rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Richard Campbell ... Damon
William Corno ... Vampire
Von Flores ... Tran
Nicole Greenspan ... Beverly
Gabriel Hogan ... Young Soldier
Clark Johnson ... Casey Brooks
Bernadette Li ... Vietnamese Mother
Richard McMillan ... Abraham Lindley
Gordon Michael Woolvett ... Kyle the Grocery Boy

This was a very different Vietnam story. It puts LaCroix and Knight in a situation similar to the My Lai massacre, except this time the vampires were the good guys.

While Knight was a medic and LaCroix was a Special Forces officer, the bad guys were some out of control soldiers who shoot up a local village due to reports that a Viet Cong soldier is operating from within. As a result of the massacre, LaCroix, who shows emotion and sympathy for the humans and takes some actions that will cause several deaths and a lot of confusion many years later.

The rest of the story involves Nick Knight trying to figure out who is killing the old veterans, and how they are connected to each other. It is an interesting mystery, since LaCroix is lying to Knight just as he usually does. Knight spends the whole episode following false leads, and the victims are reliving their guilt as they try to avoid death. At the climactic end of the story, there is a surprise twist that vindicates some of the paranoia of the soldiers back in Vietnam.

Yet there are some heavy issues regarding guilt, accountability, and whether some sins can ever be forgiven. It is a good story because it spreads the guilt around and does not show one side as being good or innocent. Even Knight and LaCroix end up looking guilty in spite of their efforts to take the high road.


http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/foreverknighttrilogy/index.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0581599/

THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY

A film you may find it intriguing, dedicated to Eagle, my lovely pet.

Quote of the movie: You see, in this world there are two kinds of people, my friend. Those with loaded guns... and those who dig. You dig.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Italian: Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo) is a 1966 Italian epic spaghetti Western directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach in the title roles. The plot centers around three gunslingers competing to find a fortune in buried Confederate gold amid the violent chaos of gunfights, hangings, Civil War battles, and prison camps.

CAST

• Clint Eastwood as Blondie: The Good, a subdued, cocksure bounty hunter who competes with Tuco and Angel Eyes to find the buried gold in the middle of the two warring factions of the American Civil War. Blondie and Tuco have an ambivalent partnership. Tuco knows the name of the cemetery where the gold is hidden, but Blondie knows the name of the grave where it's buried, forcing them to work together to find the treasure. In spite of this greedy quest, Blondie's pity for the dying soldiers in the chaotic carnage of the War is evident. "I've never seen so many men wasted so badly," he laments.

• Lee Van Cleef as Angel Eyes: The Bad, a ruthless, unfeeling mercenary named "Angel Eyes" Sentenza who kills anyone in his path. When Blondie and Tuco are captured while posing as Confederate soldiers, Angel Eyes is the Union sergeant who interrogates them and tortures Tuco, eventually learning the name of the cemetery where the gold is buried, but not the tombstone. Angel Eyes forms a fleeting partnership with Blondie, but Tuco and Blondie turn on Angel Eyes when they get their chance.

• Eli Wallach as Tuco: The Ugly, Tuco Benedito Pacifico Juan Maria Ramirez, a comical, oafish, fast talking bandit who is wanted by the authorities. Tuco manages to discover the name of the cemetery where the gold is buried, but he doesn't know the name of the grave - only Blondie does. This state of affairs forces Tuco to become reluctant partners with Blondie.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good,_the_Bad_and_the_Ugly

THE PHOENIX AND THE TURTLE

The Phoenix and the Turtle
Let the bird of loudest lay
On the sole Arabian tree,
Herald sad and trumpet be,
To whose sound chaste wings obey.
But thou shrieking harbinger,
Foul precurrer of the fiend,
Augur of the fever's end,
To this troop come thou not near.

From this session interdict
Every fowl of tyrant wing
Save the eagle, feather'd king:
Keep the obsequy so strict.

Let the priest in surplice white
That defunctive music can,
Be the death-divining swan,
Lest the requiem lack his right.

And thou, treble-dated crow,
That thy sable gender mak'st
With the breath thou giv'st and tak'st,
'Mongst our mourners shalt thou go.

Here the anthem doth commence
Love and constancy is dead;
Phoenix and the turtle fled
In a mutual flame from hence.

So they loved, as love in twain
Had the essence but in one;
Two distincts, division none;
Number there in love was slain.

Hearts remote, yet not asunder;
Distance, and no space was seen
'Twixt the turtle and his queen:
But in them it were a wonder.

So between them love did shine,
That the turtle saw his right
Flaming in the phoenix' sight;
Either was the other's mine.

Property was thus appall'd,
That the self was not the same;
Single nature's double name
Neither two nor one was call'd.

Reason, in itself confounded,
Saw division grow together;
To themselves yet either neither;
Simple were so well compounded,

That it cried, 'How true a twain
Seemeth this concordant one!
Love hath reason, reason none
If what parts can so remain.'

Whereupon it made this threne
To the phoenix and the dove,
Co-supremes and stars of love,
As chorus to their tragic scene.

THRENOS

BEAUTY, truth, and rarity,
Grace in all simplicity,
Here enclosed in cinders lie.

Death is now the phoenix' nest;
And the turtle's loyal breast
To eternity doth rest,

Leaving no posterity:
'Twas not their infirmity,
It was married chastity.

Truth may seem, but cannot be;
Beauty brag, but 'tis not she;
Truth and beauty buried be.

To this urn let those repair
That are either true or fair;
For these dead birds sigh a prayer.

~ WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE ~

CURTAIN

* I have a certain experience of the way people tell lies.

* I am not keeping back facts. Every fact that I know is in your possession. You can draw your own deductions from them.

* I did not deceive you, mon ami. At most, I permitted you to deceive yourself.

* The impossible could not have happened, therefore the impossible must be possible in spite of appearances.

* You never knew whether I was joking or not. I always said things in the same slow melancholy way — but half the time there was a twinkle underneath it.

* Believe me, the difficulty of beginning will be nothing to the difficulty of knowing how to stop.

Curtain - Poirot's Last Case (1975)

I have no more now to say. I do not know, if what I have done is justified or not justified. No, I do not know. I have always been so sure, too sure... But now I am very humble and I say like a little child, I do not know...

~ Hercule Poirot ~

Everything I Do I Do It For You

Bryan Adams Live Concert at the Wembley Stadium London 92

Solitude

Little do men perceive what solitude is,
and how far it extendeth.
For a crowd is not company,
and faces are but a gallery of pictures,
and talk but a tinkling cymbal,
where there is no love.

~ Francis Bacon ~

This I Promise You

Paradox Of Our Time

A wonderful Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much , and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

Spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

To give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

To say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

To hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak. And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Sleepless Night

Blut ist dicker als Wasser

Blut ist dicker als Wasser, Glückwünsche auf Ihrem Erfolg

How To Talk About Books You Haven't Read

If civilized people are expected to have read all important works of literature, and thousands more books are published every year, what are we supposed to do in those awkward social situations in which we’re forced to talk about books we haven’t read? In this delightfully witty, provocative book, a huge hit in France that has drawn attention from critics around the world, literature professor and psychoanalyst Pierre Bayard argues that it’s actually more important to know a book’s role in our collective library than its details.

Practical, funny, and thought-provoking, How to Talk About Books You Haven’t Read is in the end a love letter to books, offering a whole new perspective on how we read and absorb them. It’s the book that readers everywhere will be talking about—and despite themselves, reading—this holiday season.

Author: Pierre Bayard is a professor of French literature at the University of Paris VIII and a psychoanalyst.

www.amazon.com

When You Love Someone

When you love someone by Bryan Adams

My Man

Last night my pal set me up on a blind date, with a very decent good looking Chinese. While we're having dinner at the Shanghai's restaurant, shortly I overheard some gossips behind my back. A lady was surprised that I'm not Lesbian!!! Oh my... you bet I'm not. For that reason I deliberately leaned on my date, later I must admitted it's not a smart move. Because those ladies were in fact the secret admirers of my date, hence they started talking bad and called me names.

After 30 minutes, my patience exhausted. I finally turned my head around, showing them my babe's pic from my purse and said: fyi, I only dated white guys but for this time I've been set up. There, your pressure's off and please be polite!! They're astonished at first then mistaken the guy in my pic was Kevin Beacon. Well, I laughed my head out for it's so easy to mix up people by nature.

So who is my babe? Ha ha...who else could that be, everybody knows it's Dr House! Not only he is in many respects a medical Sherlock Holmes, he's also reliance on psychology to solve many cases. What's more, he has great sense of humour and he even plays musical instrument!!

Too bad Dr House is only fictional, but I'd love to meet Hugh Laurie someday if possible. That I can assure you I'd scream out......LOOK, THIS IS MY MAN!!!

Never Ending Dream

You know I love you, but I can't be with you, and that hurts......badly.

Lions For Lambs

LIONS FOR LAMBS tells the poignant and layered story of several individuals caught up at various ends of the nation's war on terror -- a senator (Cruise) attempting to spin the latest 'comprehensive strategy' to a network news journalist (Streep), an idealistic professor (Redford) trying to convince one of his most promising students (Garfield) to change the course of his life; and two young men (Luke and Pena), fighting in the snow-capped mountains of Afghanistan, whose desire to live a life of meaning leads them to join the U.S. army and the fight against global terrorism.

www.lionsforlambsmovie.com

Out Of The Box

Creativity does have boundaries. Think out of the box, not in the box please.

As Virginia Woolf once said, “We, I mean all human beings, are connected with this; that the whole world is a work of art;....we are the words; we are the music; we are the thing itself.”

Woman In Love

Joan Armatrading

Vampire vs Ghost

Q. What is a Mummie's favorite type of music?
A. Wrap!!!!!
Q. Why do demons and ghouls hang out together?
A. Because demons are a ghouls best friend!
Q. What's a monster's favorite bean?
A. A human bean.
Q. What do you call a witch who lives at the beach?
A. A sand-witch.

Q. Why did the game warden arrest the ghost?
A. He didn't have a haunting license.
Q. Why didn't the skeleton dance at the party?
A. He had no body to dance with.
Q. What happens when a ghost gets lost in the fog?
A. He is mist.
Q. Why doesn't Dracula mind the doctor looking at his throat.
A. Because of the coffin.

Q. What do you call a goblin who gets too close to a bonfire?
A. A toasty ghosty.
Q. Why did the Vampire read the Wall Street Journal?
A. He heard it had great circulation.
Q. What do you give a skeleton for valentine's day?
A. Bone-bones in a heart shaped box.

Q. What are ghosts' favorite kind of streets?
A. Dead ends
Q. What is a vampires favorite holiday?
A. Fangs-giving
Q. What kind of makeup do ghosts wear?
A. Mas-scare-a.
Q. What happens when two vampires meet?
A. It was love at first bite!

Q. Who was the most famous ghost detective?
A. Sherlock Moans.
Q. What do you call two spiders that just got married?
A. Newlywebbed
Q. What did the ghost say to the man at the coffee shop?
A. Scream or sugar!

Q. Who was the most famous skeleton detective?
A. Sherlock Bones.
Q. Who was the most famous witch detective?
A. Warlock Holmes
Q. Which building does Dracula visit in New York?
A. The Vampire State Building.

Q. Where do most werewolves live?
A. In howl-lywood, California
Q. Where do most goblins live?
A. In North and South Scarolina.
Q. Why do vampires scare people?
A. They are bored to death!

Q. What songs does Dracula hate?
A. "You Are My Sunshine" and "Sunshine on my Shoulders.
Q. What do you call a little monsters parents
A. Mummy and deadly
Q. What do you get when you cross a black cat with a lemon.
A. A sour-puss

Q. What is a vampires least favorite food?
A. Steak
Q. What's it called when a vampire has trouble with his house?
A. A grave problem.
Q. How can you tell a vampire likes baseball?
A. Every night he turns into a bat.
Q. What's it like to be kissed by a vampire?
A. It's a pain in the neck.

Q. How does a girl vampire flirt?
A. She bats her eyes.
Q. Why doesn't anybody like Dracula?
A. He has a bat temper.
Q. Who does Dracula get letters from?
A. His fang club.
Q. What kind of key does a skeleton use?
A. A skeleton key.

Q. What can't you give the headless horseman?
A. A headache.
Q. Why did the headless horseman go into business?
A. He wanted to get ahead in life.
Q. What is a ghosts favorite sale?
A. A white sale.
Q. What's a monsters favorite desert?
A. I-Scream!!

Q. When does a ghost have breakfast?
A. In the moaning.
Q. What do ghosts drink at breakfast?
A. Coffee with scream and sugar.
Q. Where does a ghost go on vacation?
A. Mali-boo.
Q. What do they teach in witching school?
A. Spelling.
Q. What do you call two witches living together?
A. Broom-mates.

Q. What is a witch's favorite subject in school?
A. Spelling
Q. Why didn't the skeleton go to see a scary movie?
A. He didn't have the guts.
Q. What is a Skeleton's favorite song.
A. Bad to the Bone

Q. What did the corpse' mom do when her son was bad?
A. Ground him
Q. Why was the mummy so tense?
A. Because he was all wound up.
Q. Why did the vampire need mouthwash?
A. Because he had bat breath.
Q. What do you call a monster who poisons corn flakes?
A. A cereal killer.

Q. What did the goblin say to the witch?
A. I don't know you tell me!
Q. Why didn't the skeleton go to the Halloween party?
A. Because he had no body to go with.
Q. Who are some of the werewolves cousins?
A. The whatwolves, the whowolves and the when wolves.
Q. Why do skeletons drink milk?
A. To help their bones!

Cyberbullying

According to the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC), cyber stalking is "threatening behavior or unwanted advances directed at another using the Internet and other forms of online and computer communications." Cyber bullying is similar to cyber stalking but draws its distinction through demographics. Instead of adults targeting other adults or children, cyber bullying involves minors targeting minors.

The federal Violence Against Women Act, includes cyber stalking in its interstate stalking statute. However, because this is the only federal anti-cyber stalking legislation available, most states have had to define the crime further. The NCVC notes that most states' anti-stalking laws cover cyber stalkers' behavior. While some have revised their statutes or enacted laws specifically to include computer-based harassment, others have written their anti-stalking language broadly enough to include both online and offline offenses.

New York Stalking Law
N.Y. Penal Law § 240.30 Aggravated harassment in the second degree.
A person is guilty of aggravated harassment in the second degree when, with intent to harass, annoy, threaten or alarm another person, he or she:

1. Either (a) communicates with a person, anonymously or otherwise, by telephone, or by telegraph, mail or any other form of written communication, in a manner likely to cause annoyance or alarm; or

(b) causes a communication to be initiated by mechanical or electronic means or otherwise with a person, anonymously or otherwise, by telephone, or by telegraph, mail or any other form of written communication, in a manner likely to cause annoyance or alarm; or

2. Makes a telephone call, whether or not a conversation ensues, with no purpose of legitimate communication; or

3. Strikes, shoves, kicks, or otherwise subjects another person to physical contact, or attempts or threatens to do the same because of a belief or perception regarding such person’s race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation, regardless of whether the belief or perception is correct; or

4. Commits the crime of harassment in the first degree and has previously been convicted of the crime of harassment in the first degree as defined by section 240.25 of this article within the preceding ten years. Aggravated harassment in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor.

For more details check out the Anti-stalking statues:
http://www.wiredsafety.org/cyberstalking_harassment/us_states/us_stalkinglaws_list.html

************************************************************

Meanwhile, WiredSafety.org is working with blog (online journal) hosting services. Custom-designed guides will help these services aid law enforcement in investigating cyber bullying. In exchange for WiredSafety.org's safety tips and other support, services like MySpace, Blogger, Facebook and Piczo agree to rewrite privacy policies, store user information (including entries) for 90 days and cooperate with law enforcement - to the extent of requiring no subpoenas in emergency situations.

The kind of threat:
• The communication uses lewd language
• The communication insults you directly - You are stupid!
• The communication threatens you vaguely - I’m going to get you!
• The communication threatens you with serious bodily harm or death - I am going to break your legs! or I am going to kill you!

Evidence should be given to the police as soon as possible. As ISPs vary in terms of how long they save information. AOL, for example, will save information of chat users, such as their IP addresses, for seven days before purging. Other ISPs save information for only 30 days. The sooner incidents of crime are reported to law enforcement, the sooner information can be preserved for an investigation.

************************************************************

Sgt. John Geraty, of the San Francisco Police Internet Crimes Against Children unit, explains that while there are no laws specific to cyber bullying, there are times when a line is crossed and law enforcement can step in. "Cases that involve threats of death or injury to a person or their family, and which the recipient believes to be credible, should be reported to law enforcement immediately." In such cases, it's important to preserve the evidence. "A copy of the email with the full header information should be given to the police," says Geraty. "This will provide law enforcement with the information needed to trace the sender. The option for viewing the full header is often located in the Mail Preferences tab of your email service browser. If threats of injury or death occur via a chat session, the sender's screen name, the time and date the threats occurred, and the Internet Service Provider should be provided to the police."

E-mail headers for reporting an abusive e-mail
When emails travel from sender to recipient, they hop across multiple computers on multiple networks. Each of those computers stamps information covertly on the emails, which we can use to tell the IP (Internet Protocol) address of each and track back to see which ISP owns the IP address of the computer where the message originated. This information is found in the header of the email, and is not usually displayed by default in email programs. If you enable the viewing of header information, you can identify the sender’s ISP. Once you identify the ISP, you can forward the email — including all header information — to the ISP's abuse mailboxes. Most e-mails can be traced back to the sender’s address. To do this, you need the Headers. These are the codes that are included on the top of most e-mails and with some of the e-mail programs, hidden from view.

For Microsoft Outlook, select "Options" from the "View" menu.

For Outlook Express, select "File", "Properties", then the "Details" tab

Just copy and paste it into the text document report. Turn off the spelling checker, which will try and change the terms in the code, thinking they are typos. The following link will provide instructions for MOST of the various email clients in use today: http://vww.spamcop.com/help_with_headers/

************************************************************

Play nice and surf safely. You don’t have to be a spy knowing all these, at the end of the day; it’s your own responsibility to make it right.

May It Be

In Times Of

In Times Of
by Kit McCallum

My soul drifts aimlessly in times of hopelessness.
It searches tirelessly for meaning and truth ...
Yet finds no direction.

My heart bleeds quietly in times of loneliness.
It yearns to find warmth and happiness ...
Yet it somehow eludes me.

My eyes seek out visions in times of want.
They gaze endlessly through the blackness that envelops them ...
Yet they cannot see the light.

My ears listen earnestly in times of silence.
They search for familiar sounds to comfort and console ...
Yet they cannot penetrate the darkness that surrounds me.

My arms reach out frantically in times of despair.
They seek strength and compassion to enfold me ...
Yet they find nothing substantial to enwrap.

My mind cries out desperately in times of solitude.
It poses intense questions that demand answers ...
Yet there are none to be found.

My hand reaches out earnestly in these times of confusion.
It dials the number of a familiar and calming voice ...
And gratefully, my lifeline to sanity ... remains intact.

I Have A Dream

Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.

And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

MATTHEW 12:18-20, 31-32

Nobel Peace Prize 2007

Congratulaions! Former Vice President Al Gore, and the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have just won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Gore emphasised that global warming is indeed the greatest challenge we've ever faced.

He said: " We face a true planetary emergency. The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity."

But this is what I like about what he said: " If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. We have to go far quickly."

Amnesty International vs Yahoo

Yahoo’s and Amnesty International’s position on the Shi Tao case

Amnesty International has raised its concerns with Yahoo. The company has responded but has not addressed all the concerns raised.

Yahoo's response claims they received a valid and legal demand for information according to Chinese law. As a consequence, Yahoo China was legally obligated to comply.

According to Yahoo, their priority is to remain in business in a country even if this means complying with national laws that violate human rights. Yahoo therefore balances the requirement to comply with laws that contradict their own values against the belief that active involvement in China contributes to the continued modernization of the country.

Amnesty International believes that Yahoo’s arguments do not justify the company’s behavior. Yahoo’s contribution to the modernization of China must be respectful of international human rights.

The company has a responsibility to guarantee the integrity of the product they provide to the Chinese people, and to ensure it is not used in a way that assists the government to abuse human rights. Internet companies can exert considerable influence and jointly challenge China’s practices.

China has signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which guarantees respect for freedom of expression. This right is entrenched in the Chinese Constitution. In this context, Yahoo's compliance with Chinese law is a weak claim to legitimacy. Yahoo risks being complicit with the Chinese government in violating international human rights law.

This article was written by Amnesty International, for detailed information, please click on the heading or refer to:
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/chn-310106-action-eng

Forgiveness Is The Key

Forgiveness
© By Joshua Daniel

WITHIN ME IS A BATTLE, ONLY THE STRONGEST CAN FIGHT
THE DECISION WHETHER TO DO, WHAT IS WRONG OR RIGHT
MORALITY IS THE ISSUE, BUT THE CENTER IS QUITE NEAR
CAUSE EVERY TIME I THINK ABOUT YOU, I'M ALMOST DRAWN TO TEARS

IT'S A MISTAKE OF YEARS PAST, THAT'S BEEN GNASHING AT MY FEET
EVER SINCE THEN, MY ERROR I'VE REFUSED TO REPEAT
MY DEFENSES HAVE BEEN UP, MAN-MADE BARRIERS SET
BUT MAYBE WHAT I DID WRONG, WAS NOT TO FORGIVE AND FORGET

WE'RE ALL HUMAN, SOMETIMES WE DO WRONG
YET I'VE BEEN HOLDING THIS GRUDGE, FOR MUCH TOO LONG
JESUS CHRIST ALWAYS FORGAVE, AND HE WAS THE CREAM OF THE CROP
HE'D WANT ME TO CHANGE THIS; HE'D WANT ME TO STOP

IF I CAN'T LISTEN TO HIM, THERE'S NO HOPE FOR ME
THE MAN OF ALMIGHTY POWER, RULER OF ETERNITY
SO THAT LEAVES ME FIGHTING MYSELF, STANDING TOE TO TOE
IT'S SOUL VS. SPIRIT, TRADING BLOW FOR BLOW

GOT TO MAKE UP MY MIND, I'M LOSING CONTROL
TRYING A NEW STRATEGY, I'M GOING ON PATROL
I NEED TO MAKE THINGS BETTER, BECAUSE THIS IS MY DOING
ONLY GOD CAN HELP ME THERE, HIS PRESENCE IS RENEWING

THE CLOCK IS TICKING DOWN; I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME
WANT TO GET TO THE POINT, BEFORE I FINISH THIS RHYME
SO THAT'S WHY I STAND HERE, WITH HONESTY AND TRUTH
FORGIVENESS IS ALWAYS KEY, I'M LIVING BREATHING PROOF

Right Here Waiting

White Dawg Right Here Waiting

Relationship

Relationship is about people connecting, it isn't one thing above another, it isn't about what you want or what the other person wants, in other words it isn't about getting your ego needs met, although it can be that for some people.

Being in relationship is about learning and observing and growing within that connection with 'other'. It is about letting the bondaries go between our self and the other, it can be emotion, it can be intellect ,it can be soul and it can be spirit, or it can be any and all of these things at the same time. But much more than this, no one has any right to put thier parameters and judgements on what they feel another persons' relationship should be like.

Relationships have no boundaries other than the ones we put on them ourselves. Relationships are the cohesion that keeps people connected throughout time, history, culture, race, diversity and humanity. A relationship is defined by the parameters that the people involved in it choose to put upon it and ultimatley nothing else matters. Forget others' judgements as it is ultimaltely your own decision and your own destiny. Only you know from your own place of integrity what a relationship means to you, and when you find it, it will be the right one for you at this time in your life.

Everything you could possibly imagine in the space of a heartbeat, if you choose to let go of all your fears and preconceived ideas about what a relationship should be.

To Love You More

My Prayer

Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.

Amen.

~ Reinhold Niebuhr ~

Forgive and Forget

I was introduced to God through bible stories and worship as a child. Unfortunately my spiritual vision had gone worse over the years. In sorrow I had forgotten God, that I was lost and miserable at one time. The fact is, God never abandoned me when I was in trouble, He has forgiven me time after time. Ultimately I have refined my vision, realising my role in God's kingdom, willing to be guided in His way.

But Satan has been around in disguise, that we tend to easily get hurt by trusting those who try to deceive us. Nevertheless, putting our trust in God can be absolute and will never be betrayed. God already knows our innermost secrets, fears and sins. Oftentimes we can't bring ourselves to confess to God because our shame or because we can't forgive ourselves and the others.

Psalm 18:30 reminds us: "As for God, his way is perfect, the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him." Because God continues to love and forgive us, that we've learned to love and forgive ourselves. Most importantly, we must forgive the others and forget about taking revenge.

Meek or Weak

Many people have difficulty comprehending how Jesus could be forceful and mighty and still be meek.

In today's society, we may confuse meekness with a lack of courage or self-respect. But meekness has a fuller and deeper significance in scripture. It grows from commitment to God, and humility of soul that leads to inner peace. Jesus calls us to this meekness. On the other hand, we are also to be bold, especially when proclaiming our faith.

Jesus did not show timidity or spinelessness when he threw the merchants out of the temple courtyard. He certainly was not lacking courage or self-esteem. He was meek, humble before God, but he was bold in proclaiming God's truth.

911

In memory of the victims and heroes of 911. May God bless America and those who are suffering from the wars, my heart goes with you.....

Those who are spared life's tragedies can become God's messengers to those hurting people. ~ K Jackson Peevy ~

To be or not to be

While the public has been accusing the church for sending the Korean missioners to Afghanistan, consequently led to a deal with the terrorists, the question is how to strike a balance between responsibility of the government, and the responsibility of individuals.

King of High Cs

Recognised for his Italian charm and clarion voice, being the first opera singer performing in Las Vagas, a member of the Three Tenors, and best known for "King of the high Cs", Luciano Pavarotti probably was the brightest star of classical music for more than three decades, died from pancreatic cancer in Italy yesterday.

To me, his most impressive performance was singing the "Nessun Dorma" - Turandot during the World Cup tournament in 1990. In addition to his concert held in Beijing's Great Hall of the People in 1986.

Surely, he will be missed.

Abuser

Most abusers have no idea that they abuse. All they know is that they are needy and they desperately need you to fill that void. Hence if you don't do it the way they need it done, they will twist things around so that you feel bad about yourself. A relationship shouldn't include you becoming a martyre, you have to be valued just as much as you value your partner.

Abuse comes in many colors and shapes but one thing to remember, you have the power to take control of your life. You decide who you let in and you decide how much authority you will give them over your life. You have the right to say NO if someone is abusing your freedom to choose for yourself what you want in life.

Miss You Much

Sweetie I miss you much, guess you're now a big girl already, longing to see you again....someday, sometime, somehow....

Temeraire

TEMERAIRE ~ MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BY J M WILLIAM TURNER

Take My Breath Away

When someone challenges me, how can I handle all the loneliness all these years.
My answer is rather simple, I haven't met anyone who can take my breath away.
Hence I'm alive and lonely, as always, as it should be.
If you're that someone who can take my breath away, please come to me.
I will look into your eyes, and tell you, why you're worth waiting for.

Confession

Temptation is there, everywhere.....
I pray when my soul is downcast within me.
Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro.
For I am about to fall, I am troubled by my sin.
My guilt has overwhelmed me, like a burden too heavy to bear.
I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart...
My Lord, my sighing is not hidden from you......

Echo

Sometimes, you think you've seen the worst, the worst is yet to come. Tonight, I hear this echo crushing entirely my soul; nobody is an island, but why I am here all alone?

Are you

Someone who talks about love all the time but doesn't know how to love?

Someone who says dying for love but not willing to take a chance?

My Dream Vacation

Day 1: Syria – City Ruins sight-seeing in Damascus and Aleppo
Day 2: Cyprus - Embarkation at 6:66am, on board 5 million-ton Battleship “ Eliminator”
Day 3: Mediterranean Sea - stop over Gaza Strip at your own risk
Day 4: Jerusalem – UN Gala Dinner, All Inclusive
Day 5: Red Sea – stop over Cairo, keep an eye on your pockets or someone else will do
Day 6: Red Sea – stop over Ethiopia to join Fund-raising Breakfast. Travelers are strongly advised to donate as much as you can: money, jewelry, food, medicine, organs....etc.
Day 7: Persian Gulf – stay over night at Bandar Abbas
Day 8: Iran - Oilfield Tour – each traveler is entitled 50 gallons of oil as souvenir
Day 9: Iraq – War Game or Hide & Seek, again, participate at your own risk
Day 10 Feel free to stay or escape, a permanent residency will cost you nothing if armed. Whereas it'll probably cost your life if not armed.

Departure Date: As soon as you have your will prepared
Cost per head: US$ 100,000 if alive / US $10,000,000 if dead
Inquiry Hot line: 1800-000-000

What has made you become who you are today?

Christmas Eve 1995, honeymoon in Mexico, my first backpack travel experience, had a little fight with my ex over dinner, being abandoned in a restaurant out of no where, had no sense of direction, guided and accompanied by the nice couple dining nearby, found the hotel in midnight , ex was sleeping, cried all night that my eyes could hardly open after dawn, ex had gone for tour in the morning, shortly I got up and packed my stuff, carried the 20lbs backpack crawled a long way without knowing where to go.....

The saddest day in my life, that has made me become a seasoned single traveler today.

He said

It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped on link at a time.

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.

We shall show mercy, but we shall not ask for it.

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity;
an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

Winston Churchill

Personality Test

Take your time with this test and you will be amazed. Just 4 questions and the answers will surprise you.

Be honest and do not cheat by looking up the answers. The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is opened. This is fun to do, but you have to follow the instructions very closely. Do not cheat.

MAKE A WISH BEFORE BEGINNING THE TEST!

A warning! Answer the questions as you go along. There are only 4 questions and if you see them all before finishing, you will not have honest results.

Go down slowly, and complete each exercise as you scroll down.

Don't look ahead. Get pencil and paper to write your answers as you go along.

You will need it at the end. This is an honest questionnaire which will tell you a lot about your true self. Give an answer for each item. The first thing that comes to mind is usually your best answer. Remember - no one sees this but you.


(1) Put the following 5 animals in the order of your preference: Cow, Tiger, Sheep, Horse, Pig.








(2) Write one word that describes each one of the following: Dog, Cat, Rat, Coffee, Sea.











(3) Think of someone, who also knows you and is important to you, which you can relate them to the following colors. Do not repeat your answer twice.
Name just one person for each color: Yellow, Orange, Red, White, Green.










(4) Finally, write down your favorite number, and your favorite day of the week.

FINISHED? Please be sure that your answers are what you REALLY WANT.








Look at the interpretations below: But first before continuing, REPEAT your wish.






ANSWERS:


(1) This will define your priorities in your life.


Cow Signifies CAREER
Tiger Signifies PRIDE
Sheep Signifies LOVE
Horse Signifies FAMILY
Pig Signifies MONEY



(2) Your description of dog implies your own personality.

Your description of cat implies the personality of your partner.

Your description of rat implies the personality of your enemies.

Your description of coffee is how you interpret sex.

Your description of the sea implies your own life.



(3) Yellow: Someone you will never forget.

Orange: Someone you consider your true friend.

Red: Someone that you really love.

White: Your twin soul.

Green: Someone that you will remember for the rest of your life.

Canada Day

Am Canadian, and proud to be one. I've travelled quite a bit, often when I met other foreigners on the road, 9 out of 10 times, those who put on a huge smile on their faces were Canadians. You really can tell from a distance. If you don't agree with me, come to our country and see it for yourself.

You're always welcomed.

Will He Be Missed?

There were tears at the Manchester Conference - Tony Blair, probably the most popular Labour Prime Minister ever, said goodbye to his fellows of England. He was quite emotional when he declared: "The truth is, you can't go on forever." Obviously it was not the way he wanted to let go, but issues liked supporting the war on Iraq, standing by George W Bush, are reasons good enough to force him into early retirement perhaps.

During the conference, he made no specific comments on his successor Gordon Brown, nothing in particular other than a joke about their relationship. Imagine the greatest fear for Blair is that, as soon as he stepped down, all his glorious past and performance will be forgotten in no time. And the party will quickly move on the the battle over his replacement.

This is politics, and this is the life of one politician, sad but true.

Mind Game

TO YOU
I've just waken up by a giant thunderstorm (I'm living in the other part of the world away from Canada at the moment). Glad to receive your response, as your postings enlightened me a lot.

My point is, why playing games with somebody who truly cares about you? Aren't those mind games belong to people with low self-esteem or inadequacy of life experience? This 21st century, who'd still consider winning the head game is something worth fighting for? Whoever takes the trophy home has no self-conscious of paying the high prices for integrity, honesty, dignity and human decency? I simply don't understand how to do this math, as it never sounds right to me. No, I'm not being naive, far from that. All I'm trying to say, is I'm capable of doing so, not just doing so but doing well, yet I've chosen not to. In this case, I condemn both the player and the game.

Must admit I had quite a number of affairs in my younger days, that my pals used to tease my "love quota" had all been long gone. In reality I've never had any problems finding any companionship at anytime, any where if I wish. Nevertheless, as years gone by, the path I have chosen to be alone, is no doubt the smartest choice I've ever made.

Again, I'm so positive that I'm on the right track. Thanks for listening and good fishing.

FROM ME

What I'd like to do before I die

* Practically, to draft a will

* Romantically, to be dearly love by someone that I wish I could die in his arms

* Tragically, my ex with a M16 finally tracks me down, breaks in my villa on the beach trying to knock me down....

* Seriously:

By 45: Ministry for three charitable organizations

By 45: Get married in a European Chapel, honey moon on the Greek Islands or Caribbean

By 55: Travel around the world with my beloved

By 60: A minimum of 20 published titles

By end: Run a cozy cafe bookstore namely “Once upon the Thames”

Chess

Hong Kong is ready for universal suffrage, but Beijing is not. Our respect for the Rule of Law, our education level and the July 1 protests have already shown that we deserve it. There are things Hong Kongers can do to fight for democracy. But the bottom line is, Hong Kong can only truly become democratic when China does.

Szeto Wah

All My Blessings

Each new day is a blank page in the diary of your life. The pen is in your hand, waiting for you to write the very best book you can. Have pages on understanding and tales of overcoming hardships.

Fill your story with romance, adventure, learning, and laughter. Make each chapter reflect time well spent. Meet your obligations, but take time to greet your aspirations. If you live up to your potential, you'll never have to live down any disappointment.

Goodness will be rewarded. Smiles will pay you back. Have fun. Find strength. Be truthful. Have faith. Don't focus on the things you lack.

Realize that people are the treasures in life, and happiness is the real wealth. Have story about doing your best each day, and...the rest will take care of itself.

~ Douglas Pagels ~

Do & Don't

we do:

hugging ~ when everybody sees us

kissing ~ when nobody sees us

laughing ~ when nobody else does



we don't do:

fighting ~ I don't give up on you unless you give me a reason to

drinking ~ I don't want to get drunk & you don't want to look after me when I'm drunk

staring ~ I don't believe in love at first sight although I've fallen in love with you for long

Wanted

When : Friday, 7:30pm on 15 June

Where : The restaurant we first met

How : Come to join me for dinner, followed by dancing all night