laughable southern delight

Road Signs in NC

"brainstormination"

Read 2 Dan Brown's books ,"Angels and Demons" and " The Digital Fortress"(didnt finish due to lack of interest). Now I need to go find "Deception Points".

Personally I th ink "Angels and Demons" is the best. It is very exciting for your mind if you are into science and religion topics. The story is very twisted and the whole book is fast paced. The unbelievably realistic description makes you feel like you are right there while plots taken place.

I will definitely watch "Da Vinci Code" when it hits the movie theatres.

I have noticed that people compare Dan Brown's writing style with Sidney Sheldon, maybe because the both are capable at creating the atmosphere and twisted plots. I have read Sheldon's book "If Tomorrow Comes" at a very young age--probably 10 and it blew my mind.till As of today, I can still remember details in the book, and this is probably why I found both writers interesting.

something for everyone

I'm posting a short story I read today.
The author is Nobel Prize for Literature Laureate(1978).
This is a piece of work full of love and wisdom that gives answer to many questions.



OLE AND TRUFA
A Story of Two Leaves

by Issac Bashevis Singer


The forest was large and thickly overgrown with all kinds of leaf-bearing trees. It was in the month of November. Usually, it's cold this time of year and it even happens that it snows, but this November was relatively warm. The nights were cool and windy but as soon as the sun came out in the mornings it turned warm. You might have thought it was summer except that the whole forest was strewn with fallen leaves - some yellow as saffron, some red as wine, some the color of gold, and some of mixed color. The leaves had been torn down by the rain, by the wind, some by day, some at night, and they now formed a deep carpet over the forest floor. Although their juices had run dry, the leaves still exuded a pleasant aroma. The sun shone down on them through the living branches, and the worms and flies which had somehow survived the autumn storms crawled over them. The space beneath the leaves provided hiding places for crickets, field mice, and many other creatures who sough protection in the earth. The birds that don't migrate to warmer climates in the winter but stay behind perched on the bare tree limbs. Among them were sparrows - tiny birds, but endowed with much courage and the experience accumulated through thousands of generations. They hopped, twittered, and searched for the food the forest offered this time of year. Many, many insects and worms had perished in recent weeks, but no one mourned their loss. God's creatures know that death is merely a phase of life. With the coming of spring, the forest would again fill with grasses, green leaves, blossoms and flowers. The migrating birds would return from far-off lands and locate their abandoned nests. Even if the wind or the rain had disturbed a nest, it could be easily repaired.

On the tip of a tree which had lost all its other leaves, two still remained. One leaf was named Ole and the other, Trufa. Ole and Trufa both hung from one twig. Since they were at the very tip of the tree they received lots of sunlight. For some reason unknown to Ole or Trufa, they had survived all the rains, all the cold nights and winds, and still clung to the tip of the twig. Who knows the reason one leaf falls and another remains? But Ole and Trufa believed the answer lay in the great love they bore one another. Ole was slightly bigger than Trufa and a few days older, but Trufa was prettier and more delicate. One leaf can do little for another when the wind blows, the rain pours, or hail begins to fall. It even happens in summer that a leaf is torn loose - come autumn and winter nothing can be done. Still, Ole encouraged Trufa at every opportunity. During the worst storms, when the thunder clapped, the lightning flashed, and the wind tore off not only leaves but even whole branches, Ole pleaded with Trufa: "Hang on, Trufa! Hang on with all your might!"

At times during the cold and stormy nights, Trufa would complain: "My time has come, Ole, but you hang on!"

"What for?" Ole asked. "Without you, my life is senseless. If you fall, I'll fall with you."

"No, Ole, don't do it! So long as a leaf can stay up it mustn't let go..."

"It all depends if you stay with me," Ole replied. "By day I look at you and admire your beauty. At night I sense your fragrance. Be the only leaf on a tree? No, never!"

"Ole, your words are so sweet but they're not true," Trufa said. "You know very well that I'm no longer pretty. Look how wrinkled I am! All my juices have dried out and I'm ashamed before the birds. They look at me with such pity. At times it seems to me they're laughing at how shriveled I've become. I've lost everything, but one things is still left me - my love for you."

"Isn't that enough? Of all our powers love is the highest, the finest," Ole said. "So long as we love each other we remain here, and no wind rain or storm can destroy us. I'll tell you something, Trufa - I never loved you as much as I love you now."

"Why, Ole? Why? I'm all yellow."
"Who says green is pretty and yellow is not? All colors are equally handsome."

And just as Ole spoke these words, that which Trufa had feared all these months happened - a wind came up and tore Ole loose from the twig. Trufa began to tremble and flutter until it seemed that she too would soon be torn away, but she held fast. She saw Ole fall and sway in the air and she called to him in leafy language: "Ole! Come back! Ole! Ole!"

But before she could even finish Ole vanished from sight. He blended in with the other leaves on the ground and Trufa was left all alone on the tree.

So long as it was still day, Trufa managed somehow to endure her grief. But when it grew dark and cold and a piercing rain began to fall, she sank into despair. Somehow she felt that the blame for all the leafy misfortunes lay with the tree, the trunk with all its mighty limbs. Leaves fell but the trunk stood tall, thick and firmly rooted in the ground. No wind, rain, or hail could upset it. What did it matter to a tree which probably loved forever what became of a leaf? To Trufa, the trunk was a kind of God. It covered itself with leaves for a few months, then it shook them off. It nourished them with its sap as long as it pleased, then it let them die of thirst. Trufa pleaded with the tree to give her back her Ole and make it summer again, but the tree didn't heed, or refused to heed, her prayers...

Trufa didn't think a night could be so long as this one - so dark, so frosty. She spoke to Ole and hoped for an answer, but Ole was silent and gave no sign of his presence.

Trufa said to the tree: "Since you've taken Ole from me, take me too."

But even this prayer the tree didn't acknowledge.

After a while, Trufa dozed off. This wasn't sleep but a strange languor. Trufa awoke and to her amazement found that she was no longer hanging on the tree. The wind had blown her down while she was asleep. This was different from the way she used to feel when she awoke on the tree with the sunrise. All her fears and anxieties had now vanished. The awakening also brought with it an awareness that she had never felt before. She knew now that she wasn't just a leaf that depended on every whim of the wind, but that she was a part of the universe. She no longer was small not weak not transient, but part of an eternity. Through some mysterious force, Trufa understood the miracle of her molecules, atoms, protons, and electrons - the enormous energy she represented and the divine plan of which she was a part. Next to her lay Ole and they greeted each other with a love they hadn't been aware of before. This wasn't a love that depended on chance or caprice, but a love as mighty and eternal as the universe itself. That which they had feared all the days and nights between April and November turned out to be not death but redemption. A breeze came and lifted Ole and Trufa in the air and the soared with the bliss known only by those who have freed themselves and have joined with eternity.

Blueridge Parkway--the national park highway of America

First time ever I got on blueridge parkway, I saw the road sign "An All American Road"(this phrase makes no sense imo)which certainly made me laugh.Despite that, this road that stretches from Virginia via North Carolina to Tennessee is probably the most scenic mountain highway that I have ever seen, which makes it a very nice contrast with CA-1's sea view from the post I mentioned before.

There are many stops along the way while you get to see beautiful appalachian mountains, local arts and native american culture. I have only been to the part of parkway in WNC and near Great Smokies, although I do wish I can see the rest part of it someday as well. Scenic mountainous views is possibly the biggest feature on this road, while you do get to see river, waterfall and thick forests along the way.

The best season to take a drive along parkway is probably fall, while the mountains are in different shades of red and orange that look perfect in photoes. Summer is alright as well, the sky is blue and mountains are green. In winter the parkway usually is closed due to the heavy snow and bad weather on the mountains.

Few things need to be mentioned if you do plan to come see the parkway:
It is closed from november to march annually due to the driving safety reasons in snow season.
As part of the national park system, the parkway is patrolled by both park rangers and police, the speed limit is 45/mph, no commercial vehicles are allowed. So follow the rules and play safe.




for more info about the parkway:

national park service

blueridge parkway association

I was never score padding

13 days of playing battlefield 2 online.
almost 2600 global points.
571 kills.
promoted to sergeant.
unlocked 6 weapons.
made 178 points for 1 wake island map as a commander, with a team of 5 squads.
gold medal 5 times.


my BF2 stats

PLA's 4th generation combat aircraft

Ok this entry is for whoever that is interested in military stuff so feel free to skip it if you aren't into it.
There has been RUMORS about the development of 4th generation combat aircraft in China since a while ago. Rumor says that the Aviation & Aerospace 611 Institute is vigorously working on this project.
The new project aircraft feature the typical 4th generation aircraft design which you can find a bit similar with USAF's F-35 appearance wise. It features:

* Improved canard design;

* Dual WS-13C Engines;

* AESA Radar System;

* Might use France made ECM which empowered French's own Dassault Rafale;

* Carries 4-6 air-to-air/air-to-land missiles;

* Axisymmetric Vectored Exhaust Nozzle (AVEN);

* Head Up Display (HUD);

* Multi-target attack, 6-10 targets at a time.

etc.

How did people start this rumor? There has been articles on professional aviation journals in China featuring the discussion of canard vortex design, how it is applied on combat aircraft and related topics, which sure make people think and guess.

Either way, I have no doubt that China has been doing lots intensive development on military weapons, equipments, vehicles and aircrafts. A&A 611 Institute is famous for the aircraft design for defense purpose, the latest widely known example is China's 3rd generation lightweight J-10 with which Chengdu Aircraft Corperation had the critical role in the development as well.

CA-1, California's No1 Scenic Highway

People go to California to see hollywood, golden bridge and maybe san diego's seaworld and zoo. But californians enjoy taking car ride along their highways, surfing in summer time and ski in winter.

I cant surf at all although I have seen people doing it enough times, showering them with praises, I can't even swim, so I stopped thinking about it long time ago. I used to go ski at Lake Tahoe every winter, but everytime when you go, it looks like all northern californians are there--the whole place is PACKED. Driving to Utah or Arizona to ski was great, but I dont think I would want to drive 2 days without sleep to ski.

So the option was left alone. Driving around on the highways of CA sometimes is unpleasant, if you have seen highway 101 and 680's crowd and nastiness, maybe you have lost your interests about California's road. And then it is time for you to see CA-1.

I had the pleasure to enjoy driving on CA-1 from San Francisco to Monterey several times. It is the most scenic highway of California I have to say, on which you get to fully enjoy the beautiful hills on your east side, and majestic Pacific Ocean on your west.

The road is not very wide, there are big turns but all can be well if you handle it carefully.

My favorite destination on CA-1 in Nor. Cal is Half Moon Bay. It is new moon shaped beach with soft white sand and rocks. When you are lucky enough in early summer you can see sealions there being cozy, birds relaxing. People hike along the hills near the beach, taking pictures, but above all most people go there to surf, it is close to San Francisco, which makes it an accessable place for surfers.Other than that, many people go there to enjoy fresh sea food served in local restaurants.

People say that the most beautiful part of CA-1 is between Monterey and San Louis Obispo, which I have never had the good chance to enjoy completely. This part will leave to whoever that attempt so.

It takes about 47.5 miles to drive from San Jose( where I lived) to San Francisco via 101. So Im guessing that if you use CA-1/I-280 instead it might be 30 more miles. So if there is nice weather, a great thing to do on the weekend is to get on I-280, go north a bit until you see CA-92 which is close to Palo Alto, get on CA-92west, and in several miles, it will connect you to CA-1, from that point, drive towards San Francisco, stop occasionally to take pictures. And when you arrive at San Francisco, have dinner in China Town, then come home the jiffy way via 101.

If you are interested in more information about CA-1, here are some very informative websites with lots pictures. So now you know 1 more thing to do when you are in Cali, whether you live in CA or not.




CA-1 On Wikipedia

CA-1 On West Coast Roads

CA-1 On Department of Transportation

weapon unlockage of bf2

This is my new medic weapon, "Enfield" L85A1, UK made, more accurate and does more damage than M16, now I can do very good damage as well as healing and reviving.



This is my new sniper weapon M95 aka Barrett. It has the power to shoot thru helicopter/land vehicle's windshields. Tried on one unfamiliar map, killed well over 13 people so I guess it works.



This is Chris' new weapon, G36-C, Germany Made,very accurate, it is for the class Special Force, aka c4 whore haha.