Castaway

Face-down in search,
I’m clawing dirty floors,
’till fingers bleed in tangle
for deeper words…

There’s nothing here for me
to cry out under a tongue
too thick to swallow down
everything I had to break
to keep going

I changed my name
to Castaway
and am always ready (now)
for the moment entire landscapes crumble
into the wild foam of the sea.

I guess I should thank you
for the lesson
that it’s only a matter of time,
before even the strongest things
falter, fall, and fail.

It’s good to be back. Feels like I haven’t done one of these things for almost two months.

Thanks, as always, to my friend and associate Lucas for the writing.

We’re getting down to the end of the DFC previews.  Today is the last day of previews for Checkmate, the last team featured in the set.  Like Seventh Soldier said in his excellent team write-up Checkmate was easily the most hotly debated team in the set.  Originally, we hadn’t planned to refeature Checkmate.  But as the Final Crisis story unfolded, it became clear that next to Darkseid’s Elite, Checkmate was the most important team in the story.

Another problem was that Checkmate was already a force to be reckoned with in Vs.  The original version of the team in the Infinite Crisis set remains one of the most playable teams in the game.  Certainly one of the best DC teams left out there.  So we were faced with the challenge of making a team that felt like Checkmate without making Checkmate crazy busted.

The answer was found in the story itself.  In Infinite Crisis, Checkmate was quitely pulling all the strings.  They were calling the shots and the DCR version of the team reflected that.  In Final Crisis, Checkmate was desperate.  They were on the run as safehouse after safehouse fell to Darkseid.

As a result, the new version of Checkmate has to makes some risky plays.  Not only that, but they will loose one headquarters after another.  Ryan Choi <> The Atom plays into both of those themes.  Going down a resource (usually a location for Checkmate) is a risky proposition.  Koing a resource too early or too often can easily cost you the game.

But the payoff – the card of your choice in your hand when you need it – could win you the game.  It’s just of matter of knowing when the time is right to pull the trigger so you don’t shoot yourself in the foot.

Other affiliations (Brotherhood, JLI) are looking at Ryan Choi and drooling.  His restriction makes him a little less splashable.  But as long as you can guarantee a team-up, Ryan will be a welcome addition to any team that likes to KO its own resources.

So, that’s it for me.  Thanks to the guys for letting me play along when I didn’t do much of the heavy lifting this time around.  And thanks to everyone for the overwhelmingly positive response to the set so far.  Believe me when I say, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

Monday morning is going to be like Christmas for any Vs. fan.

Until next time – and there will be a next time – good gaming.

As I’m working on the feature script, as a director I have to think about who’s going to play which roles.
I have some actors that I have in mind for the role of KEN but I haven’t really thought about who should play JACK. (Crime boss, Ken’s father figure who adopts him)
Now, you guys have seen the film and you get the idea.
These are the actors that I have in mind for the role but I want to know what you guys think.
To be honest, I’ll be very lucky to have any of them and I’ll probably go for all of them with the script, too.
So, pick your choice! Let the game begin!

James Morrison

Liam Neeson

John Terry

Rade Serbedzija

Great article from Forbes:

Democrats Checkmate Themselves

November 10th, 2009

Liberals are fond of calling Republicans “the stupid party.” That might need revision. It appears to me that Democrats have checkmated themselves. Here is the logic:

If Obamacare makes it through the Senate, American small businesses will continue to shrink their payrolls to avoid the awful choice of paying higher health care insurance premiums or the 8% added payroll tax. Unemployment is sure to rise. The Dems will face the November 2010 elections with 12% unemployment … closer to Depression levels of 20% by the so-called broader measures.

If Obamacare fails to pass, the left-wing base will be so demoralized as to not show up at the polls in 2010. Or they will be so angry that they might start a 1968-like interparty war.

My Checkmate Theory is based on small-business fear of Obama’s signature issues–health care, cap-and-trade and union card check. Health care is at the plate now. The fate of health care in the U.S. Senate will set the passage odds for cap-and-trade and union card check next year. All three of Obama’s signature issues are opposed by most small businesses, including the American Chamber of Commerce.

Here are two revealing stories reporting the economic struggles and political fears of small businesses:

USA Today

Small businesses often lead the nation out of recession. Not this time.

The unemployment rate jumped to 10.2% in October from 9.8% in September, and economists say a big reason is small businesses. With sales weak, they’re still slashing jobs and faring worse than their larger rivals.

“Small business tends to lead the way out, and that’s just not happening here,” says Mark Zandi of Moody’s Economy.com.

The Wall Street Journal

W. Michael Brown has scaled back hiring plans in his Virginia auto-parts stores. Carl Redman halted an expansion project at his Oregon contracting business. Bill Hammack is preparing layoffs at his road-construction company in Georgia.

The economy remains unsteady 22 months after the recession began, with banks restricting credit and consumers hunkering down. For these small businesses, and many others across the country, there’s an additional dark cloud: uncertainty created by Washington’s bid to reorganize a wide swath of the U.S. economy.

If American small businesses stay hunkered down, unemployment will stay up. That’s because small businesses historically have created the majority of net jobs in any economy. They’ve created almost all net jobs in the first two years of a recovery. But not this time. Not yet.

The liberal writer Michael Lind is happy to see government put the screws to small businesses. In Lind’s opinion, small businesses are nothing more than a collection of Scrooges and Marleys. No doubt his opinion of small business is shared by many in the Democratic Party’s activist wing:

The solution may be corporatism or corporate paternalism–by which I mean the mandatory universalization of private employer benefits. If the politics of ethnic diversity makes movement in a universalist, social democratic direction impossible in the U.S., then the alternative might be to mandate that all employers provide certain benefits to all employees, with no exceptions. The costs of such unfunded mandates might drive some small businesses out of existence. But small-business owners are the most vocal opponents of wage and benefit reform in the U.S. The replacement of Scrooge & Marley by a smaller number of bigger private and public employers who treat Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim better would not necessarily be a tragedy.

Not a tragedy? Don’t be so quick, Democrats. You can’t have it both ways. Stick it to small businesses (through higher payroll taxes, cap-and-trade and union card check) and the assaulted will trim their payrolls until conditions clear, if ever. But if you don’t stick it to small businesses, your party’s activist base will go nuts.

You have checkmated yourselves, Democrats.

I know Democrats thought that pure arrogance and power hunger would be attractive ingredients, but it doesn’t seem to be working out for them.

If ObamaCare passes, small businesses know that they will be forced to pay high costs for every employee on their payroll.  Ergo sum, they aren’t too eager to hire new workers until the coast is clear and Obamacare has finally gone away.

If it doesn’t pass, the Kool-aid liberal base will go even more nuts than they already are and start a war within the Democrat Party.

The horns of a giant dilemma begin to take shape.

Howard C. Perkins aka Collage & Company presents lively smooth jazz that makes you want to move. It also has a variety of music for that special mood. Checkmate has more to offer than you await.

Make your move at CDBaby.

New image in the black marker photoshop contest

I did this image for the first time the contest was posted on PST….but for some reason I didn’t get to post it….so I am very happy that I got a s …
Checkmate… photoshop picture

There’s this theory when it comes to commitment – that with guys, it’s all about timing. Give a 25 year old guy the love of his life, but if he’s not ready to settle down, he won’t. But when he finally is ready to get married, have kids, etc, he’ll be willing to marry a subpar woman just because the timing’s right, even if the earlier woman was the soul mate.

A guy at a bar told me this. (While describing a lewd sexual act and disclosing girlfriend status.) We’ve heard it intermittently since, and I do think that it has a nugget of truth. My friends and I use this theory as an excuse to blast guys for their inherent lack of appreciation for the fairer sex; we all know that none of us females have any problems committing.

But on a more subtle level, it’s true with girls too. It’s not necessarily commitment, more like its half-sibling, maturity. While I never had a problem with calling CheckMate my boyfriend, I did have some appalling habits of resorting to immature acts to incite jealousy and unnecessary drama. Did I do this because I wanted him to prove to me his commitment by staying with me, no matter how crazy I was? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? In any case, can you really blame a guy for not wanting to commit when his girlfriend is picking fights about tagging each other on facebook? (I was young.)

My intention isn’t to use hindsight to blame myself for the relationship’s failings – but acknowledge them, at least. Maybe it’s not about timing at all. Maybe commitment is actually synonymous for maturity, and I have to fairly admit that neither one of us were mature; that it was not all on his onus.

Maybe at some point, both people in the relationship learn how to be healthy-functioning partners and it’s that level of health in the relationship that makes both parties want to stay – and be committed. Wouldn’t that be a trip?

Recently, I realized I don’t have any HD digital copy of my film.
I never had one because I didn’t really need one back then.
But now everything is in HD, even a home video…
So I decided to digitize my HD master tape of KEN and I also decided to upload the full movie on my blog as well.
That’s right! You’ll be able to watch KEN, the full movie in glorious HD on my blog soon!
I’m digitizing it on Wednesday so hopefully if I figure out all the encodings, codecs, compressions and stuff you’ll be able to see it on my blog on Thursday the earliest.
I know I make it sound like a big deal but it is a big deal for me.
Seeing my film again in HD on WEB! You kidding me? It’s so COOL!
It’s a fresh new start for the feature version of KEN! CHECKMATE!
So for those of you who haven’t seen my film, THIS IS IT!
And if you’ve seen my film but in SD then THIS IS IT!
Stay tune guys!

Update with CHECKMATE:
I just started working on 6th draft of the script and I think it’s going to be really good this time.
I’ve had incredible amount of inputs and notes from so many people.
A lot of them pointed the same problems, and I’m going to not only fix that but will make it a whole lot of better movie.
I’m also in the process of getting a new writer so I can have some serious writer’s touch as well.
Thank you for those of you who were kind enough to get back to me with your notes.
I really appreciate it and I’ll never forget! I promise. : )
I’ll keep you guys posted.

Ajib and Liya were starting to play chess when Liya persuaded me to join in. Ajib volunteered to ‘teach’ Mama which I thought was rather amusing. So, I did come to the board game which I had dreaded to learn when I was in primary school. The teachers thought I could be a good player and perhaps bag any titles the least at district level.

Ajib prepared the pawn, castling, queen and the rest with minor mistake of King and Queen positions. I ensured I was holding the manual or instruction on how to play. Ajib lost interest after Liya took 2 of his horses. I had to come in and finish the game.

It was okay for a first timer..

Colin Kelso posted via the Be-Mag messageboard this remix edit including unseen footage of his part in NYC’s B. Unique video Checkmate. Check out some of throwback footage along with the never before seen clips. “Check it out, No Hammers what so ever. None. Totally rinky dink shit right here…and also stay tuned to check out my new rinky dink fairy crap in truth2 coming out this Dec…..You can see me putting the USD carbons to use then and maybe I’ll attempt a 900 to shin grab backflip who knows….keep it aggro you dirty rotten posers!” – Colin Kelso.

Orly’s two cases (Fed District Cts. in Ga and Ca) are pivotally different from Kerchner (Fed District Ct. in NJ).

In fact, it’s no coincidence that Kerchner was dismissed — after waiting many months — right after the the two Orly cases successfully provided avenues to get Obama to account in a way which would NOT throw the courts and nation into constitutional crisis — the big fear of the federal courts (re political question etc.).

Judge Land (Orly penalty) case is currently all about Orly merely showing her case not frivolous (premised on need not to chill the rest of Americans from addressing their constitution). Checkmate against Obama!

Likewise, Judge Carter (Keyes) case does not have to deal with the constitutional nightmare of ousting Obama, that is, merely recovery of damages in fraud tort (even nominal) by Candidate Keyes against “Candidate” (not “President”) Obama will do the job — since Congress and the Dems would be politically compelled to oust Obama. Again, checkmate against Obama!

U.S. District Federal judge David Carter

Of the dozens of judges in Orange County, Carter stands in a class by himself. Perhaps that’s why the former U.S. Marine (battle-tested against communist Vietnamese forces in Khe Sanh), prosecutor, municipal judge and Superior Court judge now serves as a federal judge sitting in the Ronald Reagan Courthouse in Santa Ana. There really isn’t any other judge like Carter. He’s tough on crime and bad lawyering. Sit in his courtroom, fittingly plush and patriotic, and you’ll observe a man, grandfatherly in tone, who could treat defendants like items on a conveyor belt, but instead displays genuine interest in helping folks return to society as good citizens. He’s no legal slouch, either. It’s not a coincidence that Southern California’s most complex criminal cases—the Aryan Brotherhood and Mexican Mafia trials, for example—land in his courtroom.

Were either and/or both Orly cases to move forward (standing is ALL that’s needed since it’s SLAM DUNK that Const Art. 2 requires two citizen parents for POTUS eligibility), it’s all over for Obama, because politically his remaining in the Whitehouse, again, would be completely untenable even for the Dems and Congress.

Thus, after Orly files for Motion for Summary Judgment, premised even on all facts in dispute going for Obama (noting that Obama has declared to the world in what as admission against interest, that his dad was Kenyan/British citizen on Baby O’s birth) the Courts can take the case without ever having to deal with discovery on the sole legal issue of meaning/applicabability of Const. Art. 2.

This leaves Team Obama really with its last remaining legal argument (noting that Fed. Ct. can get pendant jurisdiction over Keyes’ tort action):

Const. Art 2. “natural born citizen” = “citizen by birth”

Const. Art 2. “citizen” = “citizen by naturalization”

Nice try, but no cigar!

… especially since all the fuss about McCain and the Senate Resolution would be shown.

So, take heart — and if I’m wrong that’s the current end of our Constitutional Republic (and could mean the second American Revolution since all other means have been turned back by a Government currently under unconstitutional coup d’etat).

I truly sympathize with Judge Carter, and our prayers should be with him, as he says he reads the internet and is aware of these factors (including the possible RICO implications recently filed by Orly and ongoing scrubbing of Obama-foreign born refernces in the Honolulu Advertiser just last week before our very eyes — and during the pendency of Stay on Discovery (apparently being exploited by the “Government” and Dept. of ‘Justice’, no less).

OT

This one will go viral…

PickyNicky here. Hi.

So, my situation right now is that my ex-boyfriend, the only boyfriend I have had so far in life, is moving to another country. We broke up last year (basically because he’s an callow, noncommittal child – will explain another time), and since then, it was decided that we would no longer speak because a.) what was the point? and b.) friendship is never going to be a real, platonic option between us.

I’ve gone out with a couple guys since the breakup:

1.) one threatened to stab a cabbie in the eye with a pencil.
2.) one, when I offered to pay, put his wallet away and said, “oh, alright, I’m not going to argue.”
3.) one, was mid-40s and bald when I actually got a glimpse at him sober and in the light.
4.) the most recent one, let’s call him CornFed, was so socially inept that talking to him made me cringe. The only way I got through our dates was drinking and gripping his bicep.

I know that most guys in SF aren’t asses. Most are nice, polite, decent guys, I’m sure, but I haven’t met any that fall under those classifications and I click with. And if I don’t click with him, I don’t see a point.

So, guy that’s leaving in a week (CheckMate, from here on), he’s the only one that I’ve ever clicked with before. He’s funny, smart, athletic, considerate, outgoing, ugh, I could keep going.

I hate it.

He recently contacted me again to hang out and say goodbye. Should I? Most definitely not. Will I?

As if I could resist.

I am browsing and browsing and browsing. The internet, exactly. Yes, still in the progress of it. And lotsa of facts, cute ones, that I want to show off to all of you. Rather than tellingya, “Hey, peop, I know things that you don’t know!” better for me to share with all of you, right? You care, you don’t care, I’m so not bothered. That’s a plus point for writing a blog. So, here’re the 10 facts I have just known today that you might not care:

1. Koala bears’ fingerprints are nearly indistinguishable from human beings’, that their presence at a crime scene would totally confuse the whole investigation.

2. All months that begin on Sundays have Fridays the 13th.

3. 9 out of 10 lightning-strike victims survive.

4. The strongest human bite force ever recorded is 350 pounds while the strongest shark bite force ever recorded is only 132 pounds.

5. Average people spend 3 years of their lives in the toilet.

6. A rat can go without water longer than a camel.

7. When France refused to join the American-led coalition against Iraq, some Republicans argued that the name french fries be changed to “liberty fries.”

8. The only 2 animals that can see behind themselves without turning their heads are the rabbit and the parrot.

9. Didaskaleinophobia is the fear of going to school.

10. “Checkmate” in chess actually comes from the Persian phrase “Shah Mat,” meaning “the king is dead”.

Audi heeft een reputatie hoog te houden wat betreft het bashen van de concurrentie met hun reclame-uitingen. We gaan terug naar het jaar 1999 waarin Audi Mercedes flink te kijk zet met een commercial voor hun Audi TT. Insiders weten dat dit vooral een reactie was op de briljante ’skidmarks’ advertentie van de Mercedes uit 1997 (Cannes Lions 1997 Press Grand Prix).

Vandaag de dag lijken de rollen omgedraaid, alleen heet de concurrent nu BMW. In april van dit jaar zette Audi zichzelf knullig schaakmat door BMW uit te dagen met hun billboard ‘Your move, BMW’. Dat is om een reactie vragen, die hen dan ook keurig en kordaat werd gepresenteerd. En nu strooit BMW nog eens zout in de wonde met hun ‘Jump for joy’ commercial.

checkmate

chĕck māte’, interjection and noun and transitive verb

(also mate, now more usually in chess but not in figurative sense).

(Announcement to opponent of) inextricable check of king at chess, final defeat at chess or in any enterprise;

(verb) defeat, frustrate.

If I allow the fact that I am a Negro to checkmate my will to do, now, I will inevitably form the habit of being defeated.

- Paul Williams, The Temptations

[Middle English chek mat(e) from Old French eschec mat (see CHECK¹) from Arabic shah mata “The king is dead.”]

Le Roi est mort, vive le Roi!

The King is dead; long live the king!

My first official post! XD

In celebration for Soulmate’s great success for their new single, I’ve decided to make a couple of ringtones XD

Here are the DL links for anyone who would like some new DBSK on their cellphone.

Colors, Melody and Harmony (JJ & YC)

ringtone 1 (I’m especially proud of  this ringtone XD)

ringtone 2

Shelter (JJ & YC)

intro

chorus

Checkmate (Yunho)

ringtone

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-Yotada

I have been fiendin’ for a while now to have a checkerboard print done on my nails. So when I hit up this new spot on Gates and Broadway I was so elated that they had that design! I could only have it done on two nails cause I am on a budget. (saving up for my b-day Oct. 28!) But hey two fingers is better than none!

The black king is being checked by the white bishop

At first I was struck by the almost bizarre bitterness and derision on the far Right about Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize (questioning it is certainly justified). Then I realized: How likely is it for a recent Nobel winner to order or sanction an attack on Iran?

Overflight Fight, The Cunning Realist, October 09, 2009,

For the 10th ep of Heading to the Ground, Yunho and Go Ara do their own little performance! Why? Basically Yunho’s chracter Cha Bong Gun wants to buy a laptop for his sister Cha Byul for her bday. He gets Ara’s character Kang Hyebin to help him out, and obviously they realize laptops are way too expensive. Cha Bong Gun and her come upon a singing contest and one of the prizes was, in fact, a laptop! So obviously he signs up and drags Kang Hyebin into it as well. He performs ‘Checkmate’, a song Yunho composed himself and has performed for his solo for the Mirotic concerts. Hyebin does a parody of BoA’s ‘Girls on Top’. This is so cute and funny!!!