Frog in the Well

Frog in the Well , Karma kula's 2nd chapter, is out!

I must say, I loved this chapter. It's got action, wit, suspense, and humor. What more to ask for?

I've been traveling heaps for the past few days. I'm just exhausted tonight, and glad to be parked somewhere even just for a few days. I'm just wanting to get some sleep more than anything else.

I visited some relatives and such over the holidays and drove my mom and aunts around. They had a great time I'd think, so all seems to be quite well. It was nice to spend some time with my cousins again.

Stranger saves baby from car bomb

I'd say what an adorable baby!

Iraqi salesman saves baby after bomb kills mother

BAGHDAD – A salesman rescued a baby from a blaze ignited by a car bombing in a Shiite neighborhood Tuesday, reaching through the shattered window and grabbing the boy after the blast killed his mother and eight other people.

The rescue, which witnesses described to an Associated Press reporter at the scene, highlighted the often overlooked role of Iraqi civilians in the aftermath of such bombings. Although violence has tapered off greatly over the past year, deadly attacks still plague the capital.

Iraqis tend to try to help one another after bombings and often drive victims to hospitals because ambulances can be slow in getting to the scene. But salesman Asad Raad's act was particularly notable because a burning car can explode if the fuel tanks are on fire, and bombings are often quickly followed by other attacks intended to kill rescuers.

Raad rushed out of his motorcycle shop after the explosion shook the Kazimiyah area of northwest Baghdad. He plucked the infant from the back seat, where he lay next to his dead mother.

Rescuers pulled a badly burned man, presumed to be the baby's father, from the car and rushed him to the hospital. In the confusion, no one at the scene determined the couple's names.

"The baby suffered light burns in the face," Raad told the AP. "I took the baby to my house and called the police. They told me to keep him for the time being."

Throughout the afternoon, relatives brought Raad milk and diapers for the baby, who was sleeping hours later.

"If nobody comes forward to claim him, my family is thinking of adopting him. To save and care for the baby is the only thing a human being can do in such circumstances," said Raad, a newlywed. "I cannot stand still and watch. I will do everything possible to protect the baby who lost his mother."

Tuesday's blast, nine hours before President Barack Obama touched down in Baghdad for a brief visit, came a day after bombings killed 37 people in Shiite areas of the capital and raised fears of new sectarian fighting.

The Interior Ministry warned of more car bombings in Baghdad and said security was being tightened to prevent them. The announcement followed public criticism of the police and army for failing to prevent Monday's attacks.

"We hold the security forces responsible for what happened," said Mustafa Radhi as he buried his relatives — a young husband and wife killed along with their newborn son Monday. "Innocent people and children died because of their negligence."

No group claimed responsibility for the recent blasts, but the U.S. military said the attacks bore the hallmarks of al-Qaida in Iraq, a Sunni extremist group that has targeted Shiite civilians in the past.

The government blamed supporters of Saddam Hussein in league with al-Qaida and suggested the blasts were timed for Tuesday's anniversary of the founding of his disbanded Baath party. Thursday is also the sixth anniversary of the U.S. capture of Baghdad, which ended Saddam's Sunni-dominated regime.

Also Tuesday, a suicide car bomber killed three policemen and wounded seven people at a police checkpoint in Fallujah, a former insurgent stronghold west of Baghdad.

The bullet-riddled body of a member of a U.S.-allied Sunni paramilitary ground was found Tuesday in Iskandariyah, 30 miles south of the capital, police said. The victim had been kidnapped the day before.

Source

And of course.. Karma kula's 2nd chapter will be out in a day or so. :)

Old friends and lol cats

Got to love these pictures. :)


This one is particularly hilarious. I went for a swim this morning with some old friends. It was pretty nice. I haven't seen them for ages. I'm pretty happy to be with them again, although I'm not sure they're as happy to see me.
Either way it's good. I caught some jellyfish when we went out for a swim.


Don't forget to watch your Ninjai Chapter

Handheld nitendo games

The handheld Nitendo DSi is almost out. Should be pretty interesting. I can bet my brother will be walking around with one soon.

Revamped Nintendo Handheld To Hit Domestic Shores This Week
But should you buy one?

By Gordon Cameron and Mike Smith

In the handheld gaming market, Nintendo reigns supreme -- thanks to the spectacular success of its 100-million-selling flagship, the DS. With the system still going strong, you might think, "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it" – but then, you’re not Nintendo. They’ve been tinkering with their favorite toy, and after a preliminary run in Japan, the newly-souped-up DS -- now called the "DSi" -- is poised to hit store shelves in Europe and America.

In-Depth Video: The DSi

The design changes in the new device are subtle but significant. The DSi features a slightly larger viewing screen than its predecessor, with superior speakers to round out the experience. The case is slimmer, thanks to the removal of the largely obsolete Game Boy Advance cartridge slot. Particularly noteworthy is the addition of internal and external cameras, allowing the DSi to double as a versatile camera – not unlike that other handheld device that has a lower-case "i" in its name.

On the software side, the DSi's been given a slick new browsing interface that’s reminiscent of its big brother, the Wii. Accessible via any wi-fi connection (find out how), the DSi shop will give you access to numerous applications and low-cost games. Some of the apps – including a suite of photo-manipulation tools that will let you tweak your pictures in humorous and creative ways – are ready to use out of the box.

10 Things You Didn't Know About The DSi

All of this adds up to a lighter, leaner package that blurs the line between games console and general-purpose handheld tool. Whether Nintendo explicitly designed the DSi as an answer to Apple’s iPhone – itself making a surprisingly effective stealth entry into the handheld gaming arena – is questionable. But the vibe we’re getting from the device is that it’s a little more versatile, a little more grown-up, and a little more pitched to the same non-hardcore audience that has made the Wii such a smash.

So it's an even more mainstream design -- but is it a good deal for consumers? If you're one of the hundred-odd million existing DS owners, it's unlikely you'll see too much benefit from upgrading. Sure, the ergonomics are improved, but it remains to be seen whether the camera and DSi shop will give rise to genuinely better games, or just be remembered as gimmicks. You might well want to watch and wait before taking the plunge. On the other hand, if you're pondering your first DS purchase, the DSi is definitely a better bet than its older cousin, even though it'll be selling at a $40 premium.

How is the DSi expected to sell in a sluggish economy? Bob McKenzie, Senior Vice President of Merchandising at game-retailing behemoth GameStop, isn’t worried. "In the U.S., we've got reservations that are more than double where the prior DS launch was," McKenzie told us. McKenzie also foresees a continuing market for the DS Lite alongside the DSi. "The DSi will outsell the DS Lite in the first two weeks, but… we anticipate the DS Lite will continue selling well because of the economy, and the value that it has." GameStop is preparing midnight DSi launches on Sunday night at some 2400 stores around the country, including the main event at the Universal Citywalk Store in Burbank, which will feature music, live entertainment, and attendance by top Nintendo execs.

Want to know more? Check out IGN's DSi Starter Guide.

I found a baby bird that was learning to fly and who lost gas in the bushes the other day. He died after a day. I'm so gutted about it. Had I closed the toilet lid I would still have the little fellow with me now. augh.


Don't forget to watch and vote Karma Kula Mystic Warrior

Birds falling out of trees

So I had a pretty ordinary day today. Just swam in the morning, went to town to pick up some school stuff and went to the grocery... did heaps of math in the afternoon, then I babysat. I went to get some snacks for the kids and there was this little bird just learning to fly, sitting on one of the plants. It went to our kitchen a few times. It can't really fly much more than a few inches off the ground, so I figure it fell out of its nest in an unsuccessful attempt to fly. Its parents were really freaking out just right about my head, and when I scooped it up in my hands it just came right on. Right then one of the huge fat cats that like to hang out around here scampered off. Had I come a few minutes later this little bird would've been dinner. He or she is a stubborn little thing tho- it still won't open its mouth. I've taken care of quite a few birds already and this one is just so not wanting to open its mouth - at least not yet. I've crushed berries and just fed it juice from those berries. It's sleeping now tho, real cute little fellow. It's the nicest specie of wild birds that I've gotten so far. Usually I just find the most ordinary sparrows around and nothing more.

I hope it lives. I've yet to name it.

Break

It was another beautiful day out at the beach. I swam with my neighbors again. It was wonderful. The water is so perfectly clean, the waves were great and we all had a fun time swimming- and the others, surfing. Paddle boards are pretty cool. I haven't tried it with the waves yet but it looks like good fun.

I've been doing a lot of updating with the computers to prevent the April 1st worm from getting us. Hopefully it works. So far so good tho, right?

I had a pretty good night. I've just been dreaming of math. I only just have a math subject left and I'll be done with my 1st college course. I've failed this subject thrice before, and I'm not willing to fail it again for the world.

In the meantime, here I am, nibbling on some dried, sugary bananas and boiled corn. Life is good. Don't forget to watch a
Ninjai Chapter, and the Mystic Warrior.

Waves, waves a-pounding

The waves are crashing loudly in the ocean tonight. The ground is cool, and the wind blows softly, as if to ease the memory of day-time summer heat. The pink flowering creepers by my window shiver in the drizzle, perfuming the breeze. Awaken not, thou shallow tears, I bid you away.
The waves are pounding on the beach, as angry. So different from the calm, clear, cool water of the morn. Years have gone flit-flying by. Surrounded by change I remain the same.