Taking Charge

What do I like about where I live? Most people that I grew up with escaped the area as soon as they could. I was of that same mind when I was growing up. It’s a small backwards hick town, we barely had cable, much less anything else, honestly. Sometimes, I have a hard time figuring out why I still live here. Or live here again. I could live anywhere I choose to live, but I really am happy where I am.

I like the fact that it is a rural area, not over crowded or over populated. People know each other and sometimes they even speak when they see you on the street. But that’s not really why I like living here. I like living here because it is peaceful. Not high on crime, but not crime free either. It’s just peaceful. Our neighbors mind their own business. They leave us alone, for the most part. We have neighbors that look out for us, plow when the snow gets too deep, make sure we’re alright and don’t need anything. It’s just.. quiet.

Now on the flip side of that, I miss living in Las Vegas. I lived there when I was dating my husband, he brought my out for a visit and I ended up staying for nearly a year before we moved back east. I miss the 24 hour activity. Being able to go out at midnight to go grocery shopping when no one else is in the store. I miss being able to go across the road for groceries if I run out of something. I miss being able to go out any time, day or night, and there is a bus running to take you to most parts of the city. I miss the activities. The free music, the free shows, the free events. I miss, mostly in the winter, the warm weather.

I am, admittedly a weird creature. I like the peacefulness, but I miss the party atmosphere. Perhaps, some day I’ll find somewhere that I can have both. Until then - Viva, Las Vegas, my second home.

There are just no words to express just how amazingly funny and how amazingly true this commercial is. My god.. I have spent 2 days working on a Vista system via VNC and every time you run something, “cancel or allow” and it drops the VNC when you allow. *headdesk*

Court rejects ‘Dog The Bounty Hunter’ star’s extradition injunction

Every dog has his day, and it appears that Dog the Bounty Hunter star Duane “Dog” Chapman will have his as well — in court.

After a stay on his extradition was granted in October, a federal court has cleared the way for Chapman to be extradited and face illegal detention charges that stem from his 2006 arrest for the 2003 capture of Max Factor heir Andrew Luster in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, The Associated Press reported Friday.

Norma Jara, a spokeswoman for the second district court in Guadalajara, said the court “rejected” Chapman’s injunction request, ruling “there was no reason not to try him” on the illegal detention of Luster.

“We only just heard about the Mexican court’s decision to continue with the extradition proceedings, and are still in shock,” Chapman and his wife, Beth, said in a statement issued Thursday night in Honolulu, HI. “Our attorneys have not even been formally informed of the court’s decision, as of yet. We are obviously deeply disappointed and fearful of what will happen, and are currently absorbing the news and discussing our options at this time.”

Once Chapman has been formally notified of the court’s decision, he has five days to file an appeal that could block his extradition for a second time. While The AP reports Mexican authorities have already asked for Chapman’s extradition from his Hawaiian home, the bounty hunter’s lawyers argue he “would not be guaranteed a fair trial” in Mexico.

Following the 53-year-old’s September 2006 arrest, he was detained briefly in Mexico for the 2003 capture of Luster, who was wanted in the U.S. for rape and is now serving a 124-year sentence. Chapman, his son and another colleague posted $300,000 bail and subsequently returned to the United States.

Chapman said he was willing to apologize to the Mexican government to help settle the criminal complaint against him. U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colorado, also urged the Bush administration to block the bounty hunter’s extradition. In October, a Mexican court granted Chapman a stay in his criminal case as well as the extradition proceedings against him, but that stay is apparently over.

If convicted, Chapman could face four years in a Mexican jail. However The AP reports his Mexican lawyer, Jorge Huerta, doubts he would get the maximum because “illegal detention is a relatively minor crime” in Mexico, and if Chapman is convicted, he “would likely only have to pay a fine of several hundred dollars.”

FEBRUARY 16: An Associated Press report out of Guadalajara, Mexico stated that a Mexican federal court has denied Duane “Dog” Chapman’s injunction request and has ruled that the star of A&E’s “Dog the Bounty Hunter” should be extradited and stand trial for deprivation of liberty - a charge stemming from Dog and his posse’s 2003 capture of convicted serial rapist, Andrew Luster in Puerto Vallarta.

Mexican authorities had asked for Chapman’s extradition from Hawaii and U.S. Marshals took Dog, son Leland Chapman and associate Tim Chapman into custody back on September 14th for their role in bringing Luster to justice. Dog, Leland and Tim were released on bail and have been awaiting a ruling on their request to stop the extradition proceedings, which would otherwise require them to face trial in Mexico.

“Our attorneys have not even been formally informed of the court’s decision, as of yet,” Dog and wife Beth Chapman said. “We are obviously deeply disappointed and fearful of what will happen, and are currently absorbing the news and discussing our options at this time.”

Andrew Luster, the notorious heir to the Max Factor cosmetics fortune, was convicted of drugging and raping three women over a four year span. During his trial in 2003, Luster fled the country, leading to an international manhunt. In June 2003, Dog and his team tracked the fugitive Luster in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where he was living under an alias, and seized him. Luster was subsequently found guilty in the US and is currently serving a 124 year prison sentence. At that time,in June 2003, Dog, Tim and Leland were arrested by the Mexican authorities for unlawful deprivation of liberty and released on bail.

Court rejects ‘Dog The Bounty Hunter’ star’s extradition injunction

Every dog has his day, and it appears that Dog the Bounty Hunter star Duane “Dog” Chapman will have his as well — in court.

After a stay on his extradition was granted in October, a federal court has cleared the way for Chapman to be extradited and face illegal detention charges that stem from his 2006 arrest for the 2003 capture of Max Factor heir Andrew Luster in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, The Associated Press reported Friday.

Norma Jara, a spokeswoman for the second district court in Guadalajara, said the court “rejected” Chapman’s injunction request, ruling “there was no reason not to try him” on the illegal detention of Luster.

“We only just heard about the Mexican court’s decision to continue with the extradition proceedings, and are still in shock,” Chapman and his wife, Beth, said in a statement issued Thursday night in Honolulu, HI. “Our attorneys have not even been formally informed of the court’s decision, as of yet. We are obviously deeply disappointed and fearful of what will happen, and are currently absorbing the news and discussing our options at this time.”

Once Chapman has been formally notified of the court’s decision, he has five days to file an appeal that could block his extradition for a second time. While The AP reports Mexican authorities have already asked for Chapman’s extradition from his Hawaiian home, the bounty hunter’s lawyers argue he “would not be guaranteed a fair trial” in Mexico.

Following the 53-year-old’s September 2006 arrest, he was detained briefly in Mexico for the 2003 capture of Luster, who was wanted in the U.S. for rape and is now serving a 124-year sentence. Chapman, his son and another colleague posted $300,000 bail and subsequently returned to the United States.

Chapman said he was willing to apologize to the Mexican government to help settle the criminal complaint against him. U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colorado, also urged the Bush administration to block the bounty hunter’s extradition. In October, a Mexican court granted Chapman a stay in his criminal case as well as the extradition proceedings against him, but that stay is apparently over.

If convicted, Chapman could face four years in a Mexican jail. However The AP reports his Mexican lawyer, Jorge Huerta, doubts he would get the maximum because “illegal detention is a relatively minor crime” in Mexico, and if Chapman is convicted, he “would likely only have to pay a fine of several hundred dollars.”

FEBRUARY 16: An Associated Press report out of Guadalajara, Mexico stated that a Mexican federal court has denied Duane “Dog” Chapman’s injunction request and has ruled that the star of A&E’s “Dog the Bounty Hunter” should be extradited and stand trial for deprivation of liberty - a charge stemming from Dog and his posse’s 2003 capture of convicted serial rapist, Andrew Luster in Puerto Vallarta.

Mexican authorities had asked for Chapman’s extradition from Hawaii and U.S. Marshals took Dog, son Leland Chapman and associate Tim Chapman into custody back on September 14th for their role in bringing Luster to justice. Dog, Leland and Tim were released on bail and have been awaiting a ruling on their request to stop the extradition proceedings, which would otherwise require them to face trial in Mexico.

“Our attorneys have not even been formally informed of the court’s decision, as of yet,” Dog and wife Beth Chapman said. “We are obviously deeply disappointed and fearful of what will happen, and are currently absorbing the news and discussing our options at this time.”

Andrew Luster, the notorious heir to the Max Factor cosmetics fortune, was convicted of drugging and raping three women over a four year span. During his trial in 2003, Luster fled the country, leading to an international manhunt. In June 2003, Dog and his team tracked the fugitive Luster in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where he was living under an alias, and seized him. Luster was subsequently found guilty in the US and is currently serving a 124 year prison sentence. At that time,in June 2003, Dog, Tim and Leland were arrested by the Mexican authorities for unlawful deprivation of liberty and released on bail.

Man sues IBM over firing, says he’s an Internet addict

WHITE PLAINS, New York (AP) — A man who was fired by IBM for visiting an adult chat room at work is suing the company for $5 million, claiming he is an Internet addict who deserves treatment and sympathy rather than dismissal.

In papers filed in federal court in White Plains, Pacenza said the stress caused him to become “a sex addict, and with the development of the Internet, an Internet addict.” He claimed protection under the American with Disabilities Act.

What the hell.. I guess it’s a valid defense if it’s not a lie. But still..

Man sues IBM over firing, says he’s an Internet addict

WHITE PLAINS, New York (AP) — A man who was fired by IBM for visiting an adult chat room at work is suing the company for $5 million, claiming he is an Internet addict who deserves treatment and sympathy rather than dismissal.

In papers filed in federal court in White Plains, Pacenza said the stress caused him to become “a sex addict, and with the development of the Internet, an Internet addict.” He claimed protection under the American with Disabilities Act.

What the hell.. I guess it’s a valid defense if it’s not a lie. But still..

LJ Idol: The One I Love

The perfect topic for the week, I have to say. It’s easy to think about love on Valentine’s Day, as long as you’re in love with a special someone. Or that’s what most people seem to think. Love spreads wide, wider than having a significan other, it spreads over family, friends, even those who came come and gone from our lives in the past. Love knows no true bounds, the only limit to love is the one that you set on your love.

Love, to me, never dies. If it does, then it wasn’t really love at all. I have loved many in my life, and still love almost every one of them. Some will never know just how much I love them because I will never tell them. Especially the one who got away. I met him when I was in college, we had a lot of similar interests, we chatted daily when we could. We met face to face, one time, and I knew then that I loved him.

We never went beyond the stage of friends, he was the best friend I could ever ask for. He listened to me cry when my heart got broke. He listened to me when I had trouble with the man that I lived with. He was there when I was scared, to reassure me. He was always there. As much as I wanted to spend my life with him, I knew that I wasn’t going to ever get that wish. I let him guide things and he didn’t feel the same spark that I did. I was okay with that.

I was close to him for a long while after we had met, then we drifted apart. I don’t remember if it was a disagreement or if we just drifted apart, all I can remember is looking for him online many times. I google searched his name every few years to see if I could find him. I always did, but I never really had the nerve to contact him, at least not for a long while.

After a conversation one night with some new friends, I got nostalgic, I missed him. I missed the man whom I thought to be truest friend. I google searched him, found his website and his email address. In a bought of late night stupidity (at least that’s what I called it then) I sent him an email, unsure if it was really him. I held my breath every day when I checked my email, wondering if I could unsend the message, undo the stupidity that I had done. I feared that I would get a response that boiled down to a big “fuck you.” I was afraid that I would get a message saying that he didn’t remember me, or if he did, he wouldn’t want anything to do with me.

Much to my surprise, a few days later, I got a response. It wasn’t bad, it was nice, and I was so relieved. I hoped that it would lead to a rebuilding of the friendship that I so dearly missed. I never really knew how much I missed it until that moment. We emailed for a bit, then chatted on aim and friended each other on livejournal. We’ve grown close again, and hope to remain close to him, always.

To me, that friendship is one of the greatest of loves I can ever imagine. A love that has lasted for twelve long years. Twelve years, longer than any relationship I’ve ever had, outside of blood relation. Twelve years, though good and bad, through not speaking for a few years, through many changes in our lives. Twelve years, it’s a long time to love a man that you’re not dating or married to. But that is definitely how long I’ve loved my friend. I just hope that he knows that.

Google Said to Violate Copyright Laws

PARIS, Feb. 13