September 06 New Scientist- hello young bloggers where ever you are

or ... the benefits of low readership- .. now I do get emails from some people who I know read here which sometimes does keep the event happening.. but there are benefits to low readership..

Firings after blogging postings -

" Clifton Swigert, a former employee of West Virgina power company Allegheny Electric was fired after he vented his frustration about the company's retirement programme. He wrote anonymously. Many of the hundreds of comments were also negative. The company tracked him and fired him. Some may be fired without ever knowing why, says Paul Levy, and attorney with civil liberties group Public Citizen. ..
Joyce Park, fired by social networking site Friendster two years ago. Park is the author of a popular blog called Troutgirl.

Mark Jen lost his job at Google. He (nor Park) is sure why. Karen
Wickre, editor of Google's corporate blog, says the firm likes to hire
bloggers because "it's nice to know that they can put a couple of sentences together". Does Google make a regular habit of reading people's blogs before hiring them? Wickre says. "I'm not willing to make a blanket statement that bloggs don't matter."

Hireright ...interest in online activity is growing.
In Australia, legislation in New South Wales requires employers to tell
employees if they are under any kind of surveillance. However, the low does not regulate the level or type of spying, it just says that employees must be told about it. Electronic surveillance of Australian workers is on the rise, according to Canberra-based internet research firm Caslon Analytics, but there are as yet no national laws that limit monitoring of employees use of email and the internet. "
excerpts taken from article in 30 September 2006 edition
written by Annalee Newitz, San Francisco

The article on natural highs and string theory were very interesting too...

The Arrogant Heart

I did finally get a photo of my poor forehead. The rest of my face is so much in need of digital enhancement that my pride won't let me post it here. It led me to think though..... I have had an interest in someone I met about a year ago and I have tried everything I can think of to dissuade myself from 'mooning' (no I don't mean showing my bare bum- as much as it may help) over them. I obsess, I ignore them, I flirt like a teenager, I chastise myself, I have a week long shame attack .. And then it resurfaces like a ship wreck at low tide or a mosquito when you are trying to sleep.
So this recent photo gave me a good talking to.
"What are you thinking?" But I'm not thinking that's the trouble I'm responding to my feelings and my heart takes over my brain. (For the less romantic perhaps it's nearer the hips than the lips.. or the lips near the hips... ) The arrogant heart. If I want this so much it must be right and possible says the heart. The mind ( and eyes - when looking at myself) says "in your dreams" and the heart says "exactly"....

Have you seen my camera?

'cos I can't find it and I am keen to take a photo of my forehead to show you.
I went to the skin specialist today and she cut a hole in my forehead to remove
a basal cell carcinoma (cancer ). She drew what looked like an eye (about the same size)
in purple pen on my head and then covered my face with a white paper and injected the area to make it numb and then........... oh my goodness. Such a weird sensation. I am under the paper
while she and the nurse are chatting about some gory news item- "am I dead?".
It wasn't fun but I am proud of myself because I didn't scream or run away. I have never given birth but I guess it may have been a little similar in that there was a point of no return.
How far are you going to go with a hole in your forehead. I also had a little mole 'punched' off my upper inside arm... no fun at all really. Before hand just to get into the mood and make good use of the sick day I went to the dentist.
It's not feeling all that much fun now. I was very lucky that a friend came with me.
She is a nurse and my arm was still bleeding so she wrapped it for me - tightly so there is fat over the top and underneath like some of those lovely tight jeans. I have just taken it off though as I was concerned I may lose the arm from lack of circulation.
So it's lovely to have a day off work but what can you do when you feel your forehead is puckered and full of a sensation as though you have a heavy brick on it even when you are vertical. I did make a mistake though and I will give you the tip, just in case you should ever be in this position. Do not brush your hair because you know what? Your hair stops at your hair line right near your forehead and it drags your forehead up and that's not good.
Actually no laughing or talking much to anyone because your face moves a lot more than you realize.
So, if I had of gone to a plastic surgeon they may have taken a bit more so that the whole brow is lifted but the spot was slightly to the right side so I will just have a surprised right eye and a comparatively relaxed left eye. They already had that predisposition as I could raise one eyebrow effectively and did this for the amusement of friends (a family trait handed down from my father) so unhappily that may be the end ( that is if you can end something that never began) of my screen career.
I do feel very adult though going to get it fixed in stead of waiting for the inevitable disaster that would have otherwise happened. Australia, sun surf and skin cancer. Luckily I live in Queensland "the Sunshine State". Hopefully that is about as true as Victoria (or is it New South Wales?) being the "state of excitement".. That's only if cystitis, thrombosis and other medical ailments are on the list.
Off to bed with a sore head.

What is the opposite of 'mad as a cut snake' ?

Calm as a contented cow?, 'Cool as a cucumber', a 'loose goose', ..... Happy, serene, content, .... Goodness it's amazing what relaxing will do for stress. So, feeling better, better than I have for years. The lack of change is excellent. Back to the same place to live and same place to work. New patio done, painting of the lattice done- heaps of junk in the place but I am making a start on changing that. Directly after replacing all the plants - from the car port to the patio, washing.... working (again)... uh oh..
wishing to be back down south looking into this beautiful horizon and listening to the water kiss the sand (although in that analogy there may have been a little D.V. going on- {domestic violence for those lucky enough never to have used the acronym})
I used to swim in the 'rock pool' as a child- looking at it now you'd wonder how we weren't drowned. You can see the 'pool' where that outcrop of rock is jutting off the main rock formation. We had to climb over the cliff to get there. We also played underneath the jetty.
Also went to cousin's baby shower, school friends lunch, ...... catching up with lots of friends and family.
top photo.. my friend outside a cafe ..She came part way back to Brisbane with me which made the trip much more fun. On the way down I was exhausted and conversation was to be avoided but the way back was a very different story. Miss 'have a chat' returned.

Hope your holidays were refreshing. It rained a lot while I was away which was great as this country (well the 3,000 ks I drove over) is parched, so dry, begging for fluid. I hear around the traps from those with connections in the political scene there are contigency plans being drafted to cover the chaos and possible violence that may ensue as water becomes less and less available. In Canberra there are tales of water theft- I met with some friends today in Brisbane who suggest the same thing is on the agenda here.

Well... back to work tomorrow for my second week back and to see if I can remain sane while working - the big test! I didn't do too badly last week, well; except for Thursday but then that's a whole other blogg topic.. wendy )