The Truth Is Not Here

The longest time

2008-07-14T15:13:00.001+08:00

Its been a while. Been busy and occupied with everyday life and work. Must find time.

Off to Dubai

2007-02-25T02:41:00.000+08:00

I am the airport. It's 2.45 am. Normally I am in bed by now. But duty calls and my flight to Dubai is at 7 am. Just had a quarter pounder at McD. With fries and a coke, of course. There is still a crowd here at KLIA. I suppose people have to be somewhere else.

Clueless

2006-07-14T01:01:00.001+08:00

World Cup 2006 trivia:

Who said this?

"I guess we did not do very well, but we did play Germany, and I think that's when we lost, isn't it, the last time when we were out," she said. The United States played the Czech Republic, Italy and Ghana, but not Germany."

Ahhhh...the effect of being married to the man :)

The answer.

The End

2006-07-10T23:42:00.000+08:00

By now so many have been written about the World Cup Final. Most I suspect, not on Italy's win but of Zidane's sending off.

Like millions and billions that was not lucky enough to be in Berlin and watching via the telly, some of us watching at an impossibly hour of 4 am when I should be sleeping, Zidane lands a headbutt to Materazi's chest and the rest is history!

Before that would to be immortalized headbutt, France was on a roll. They seemed to have taken control of the game and was looking for that goal that would kill off the Italians despite having Viera, Ribery and Henry taken off. Then something happened. Things were said and then the red card.

Was Zizou right to do it? Honestly, who cares. Something was said and he reacted. You don't just headbutt someone for no reason.

My memory of Germany 2006 will not be Cannavaro lifting the World Cup. It will and will always be the figure of Zizou walking slowly past the World Cup towards the tunnel. It was a script no hollywood man could ever written. Everyone was expecting a happy ending. Zizou smiling as he holds the World Cup high. But life is a tragedy. Good times are hollywood made. In this life we know, Zizou chose to be us. It was fitting for a remarkable footballer that Zizou is that he left...that way. That alone is worth any hollywood blockbuster.

The Final

2006-07-07T23:38:00.000+08:00

In a couple of days, Italy and France will get to decide who between them is the best. The Champion. The World Cup winner. Italy and France?

Well, if one were honest, nobody probably (bar Italians and French) saw this coming. The Italians barely survived Australia and the French scrapped through their group at the last game winning against Togo.

But the Italians are master of their own destiny. Many times have I saw them waiting to be counted out only to see them take that last breath and fight on. So, they're worthy of their place in the final. Any team that comes to Dortmund where Germany have never lost and beats them in front of 65000 fanatics in that famous 2 minutes of madness was just sheer delight. Any team that has Inzaghi and Del Piero on the bench has to be taken seriously. They deserve their place, no doubt.

France. A team made up of experienced superstars and a striker who is EPL's best. So why then did they struggle against the Swiss, Koreans and Togolese? Theirry Henry has only scored 3 goals. 2 behind Klose, the German striker who looked more at home with a Peter Drucker book and a library card to boot. But after beating Spain, who I thought would make it to the quarters, at least, the French looked better after every game. They professionally took care of the Brazilians and did what was required against the Portugese to guarantee themselves their 2nd final in 12 years.

So who will win it. Who's home will be known as the home of the World Chamipons of 2006? Italy or France? If this was all about form and substance, then the Italians will add the 2006 title to the 1930, 1934 and 1982 title that they won. But then when was football won on form and substance? This is where the French can claim to the Cup. The French hardly rocked the world after winning the 2000 European Chamipionship. They scored zilch in the 2002 World Cup and struggled to qualify for the 2006 finals. But there's something in the wind that tells me that the French will nick it in Berlin.

Players to shine in 2006 World Cup Final - Zidane, Henry and Vierra (France)

The bronze playoff. Do we really care? Honestly, no so I probably don't give a f*** who will "win" the bronze.

Farewell Yapo Yapi....

2006-06-19T01:46:00.000+08:00

...Or is that Yapi Yapo?....anyways...Ivory Coast made a lot of new fans after seeing them lose by the odd goal to Argentina and Holland but boy...oh...boy, they've been fabulous. A point from each game would've been a fair result. It's like this...had England played them, Ivory Coast would've made mince pie out of them.

When you think that Nigeria, Cameroun and Senegal is not here in Germany, you would think that Africa should have at least 1 or 2 more spots. The 2 spots coming from Ocenia/South America and Asia/Concacf should be a competition between them 4 and 2 African nations split into 2 groups with the winners going to the World Cup.

Back to the World Cup, Ghana surprisingly beat the Czech Rep 2-0. And they look good money against the USA to qualify for the Quaterfinals. Thing is, Italy or the Czech Rep may be eliminated then! On the USA/Italian game, I thought after Eddie Pope was sent off, they should've abandoned the game...and played futsal instead :)

Brazil is playing the Socceroos right now. And that Ronaldo...he is fat, darn it! Brazil is no where near the team they were in 2002. Argentina would've seen to that. I think Brazil is lucky that they do not have teams like Ivory Coast or Ghana in their group to contend with.

Argentina, Holland and Germany is still the top 3 teams so far.

The World Cup...as of June 16

2006-06-16T02:48:00.000+08:00

I hate to admit it since I support England but Germany do look good. England were a bore when they won thanks to an own goal against Paraguay. And for 84 minutes, they struggled against TT. Against Paraguay, it was so boring...it was like watching paint dry. But the Germans were something else. Quite enjoyed their open play. Their flank backs running down the opposition, their midfeilders creating chances. I also enjoyed the Czech Rep, Spain, Argentina, Italy, Brazil. Based on the games they played so far...these are your genuine contenders.

The World Cup has also taken away from me...valuable hours of sleep. I am now waiting for the Sweden and Paraguay match. Do I care who wins? No, I don't really but it's the World Cup...so I persist.

Back to the England and TT match...was it lost to anyone that the 2 goals were scored by Liverpool players? :) Messrs Crouch and Gerrard. I feel sorry for TT's goalie, Hislop... 2 goals in the FA Cup and then he scores again! And Owen...he looks like he should be at home in front of the telly. Numerous chances...zip. Rooney and Crouch? Looks like it.

Group A and B looks shaping up to what everyone expects. Germany and England to win but if Ecuador can hold Germany in Berlin and England avoids defeat against Sweden...the old foes would see themselves facing each other in Nuremberg. Now...that would be interesting. Or if England drops the ball to the Swedes (assuming the Swedes take care of Paraguay in a couple of minutes) while Germany takes care of Ecuador...then they will meet in Munich instead. Either way, they would probably meet if they don't win the groups. But if they eventually have to "meet" in the second round...who would win? The last time they played each other in Munich, Liverpool boys were also responsible for all 5 England goals against 1, courtesy of Messrs Owen (3), Heskey and Gerrard. (Note: Heskey moved on and is now expecting to shine in the Natonwide League with the Brums) (Note: And Owen...he is now a Toon)

But if they do meet, my heart says England...my head says...Germany would probably nick it

Oh well, it's still early days. So many things can happen.

Spending the weekend with Janda

2006-06-14T23:23:00.000+08:00

Janda Baik. No...I don't mean that "janda's" are "baik" (know what I mean), not that I am saying that they aren't...hahaha but this is where we spent AM's school holidays.

I wonder how this small town got it's name. There must be a story behind it. I only got to know that such a place exist some time ago...when it made the local news after the plane that was carrying Tan Sri Ghazali Shafie crashed.

Last December, we spent the holidays in Langkawi. This time around, rather than the sea, we thought that we best spend some time near a river. Janda Baik is quite near. A mere 30-45 minutes drive from KL and you then find yourself amongst lush green surroundings and a cool river to beat. Nice.

The missus booked accomodations at the Seri Pengantin Resort. Cost us RM 200 per night. Breakfast not included. But to make the deal sweeter, they threw in their ASTRO decoder provided we bought along our ASTRO card, which we did :)

Back home...it's the World Cup. It's too soon to say who looks favorite to win it. So far England has been dissapointing but there are two games to go. I've been spending a fortune on pizza's, cheezles, twistees, Lays, whatever chips....kuaci too plus Coke. Since it started, I've yet to miss a live game.

Next time, I'll put my neck on line and say who will win it. So far, Spain, Germany, Argentina looked good.

I feel tired...sleepy.....argghhh.....there's more.

Being The Man

2006-06-08T23:30:00.000+08:00

It's tough being Tun M. It's tougher taking over him. The man. No apologies. He has all the right to say whatever he wants. And to those that said that Tun M was not sincere when he resigned and that he has shown his true self...do me favor, just shut up!

No apologies. Read first why he is unhappy. There were unfinished business that was supposed to be done. Granted the current Government has all the rights to not follow but don't accuse of him of not being sincere or that "he has shown his true self." He is that. To the point. Straight talking. The current Ministers are rallying behind Pak Lah. That is expected and even the man himself probably expected that but please...him showing his true self?...give me a break. Tun M's comments was classic Tun M. Did we ever thought he was going to keep quiet. At least whatever accusations that he still "controls" the current Government has proven to be false.

Nah, I am not a crony of the man. I grew up during his premiership. I have nothing against Pak Lah. But I have to speak up for the man though I doubt he needs any help. He has always wanted the best.

Back in Black

2006-05-30T15:48:00.000+08:00

It's been sometime. I was bored. I couldn't get myself to write. Okay la. I was just plain lazy. Oh yeah...there was something wrong with my Streamyx at home too :)

So after a few months, I am back. Will I be blogging consistently from now on? Perhaps...perhaps, no. We'll see. You never know when I will get my "I am bored" feeling and then I'll probably dissapear again.

Ever since I "stopped", what has happened? Soccer-wise, well, Liverpool lost to Benfica, knocked Man U out of the FA Cup and then won it the hard but entertaining way. 4 minutes to seeing the Hammers lifting it, Gerrard comes up with a beauty! But we all know that. And we are all happy for it. Then, we saw Arsenal losing the Champions League. As far as I am concern, the only English side that should be winning is Liverpool. Other than that, I don't really give a f*** and if they loose, then...hahahahaha!

Apple introduced the 13.3 MacBook. (See Picture above) Yummy. I was yearning for the 12" but a further 1.3" aint that bad :) Cost-wise, the 1.83Ghz is RM 4399 while the 2 Ghz will cost RM 5299 and RM 5999 respectively. The RM 5999 comes with an added 20GB Hard Drive (thats 80GB) and is black in color. So, if one were to buy the black one, you'd be spending RM 700 more for the additional 20GB and the black color! Expensive perhaps but a black Mac? Why not. I am thinking of getting the black one. It'll match my black Nano :)

Close to home, every body's favorite reality show is on. Akademi Fantasia. I know. Am I not too old for this? I am...hahaha but anything that is good for the family, then I am all for it. AM and the missus enjoys it but they're not too keen this year. Reason? Because Mawi is not competing. Can someone AFUNDI MASUK Mawi? hahahaha....

I don't know if anyone followed the Amazing Race? I love that show. The winners for this year's edition was two guys, aptly called "The Hippies" by their fellow contestants. The guys are hilarious and it was good to see them win.

Any Survivor freaks? I also follow the show. Okay, by now you can see that I am a couch potato and the remote is built onto my freakin hand :) Shane, my favorite survivor was booted out last week but I already know who won. I was in Calgary the other day and saw the finale. We're a few weeks behind.

At home, there's news and credible too that there are plans to build a Disneyland in Johor. The Singaporeans will be building the new casino joint and Malaysia plans to answer that with a wholesome family thingy like Disneyland across the border. Cool. But there have been some comments about whether the weather will be good for people to walk around. Ahhh..the detractors. Screw that. Thats simple ma...Ever heard of those sprinkling water thingy? We see in Bukit Bintang near those open-air coffee joints. So, we can build that over in Disneyland Johor...no problem one. I say...go ahead. With careful planning, we may pull this one. I bet you even Singaporeans would find it more economical to spend their (many) SGD in Disneyland Johor than losing it at some slot machine :) Expect packed busses from the border when this plan is realized!

At home again, there were demonstrations near KLCC on the electric hike of 12% but read what this British couple who is living here (in Melaka) under the Malaysia My Second Home Program had to say. "Low charges encourage extravagant, instead of economic, use,” said Boswell, who will be paying RM7 more for his current bill of RM136 per month. “The increase (here from Thursday) of 12% is lower than the 24% increase in England over the last two years.”

He said it was time the Government implemented laws encouraging the building of energy-saving homes and give incentives to those willing to modify their homes to conserve energy."

Make sense?

8 of the best...

2006-02-09T23:30:00.000+08:00

Lilyliverbird left this message about her 8 favorite songs in no particular order....

Enter Sandman
Sugar me sweet
Smoke in the water
Another brick in the wall
Rebel yell
White wedding
Temple of the king
Hotel California

Hmmm...interesting choices, which leads me to list my own 8...in no particular order, of course...

For Whom The Bells Toll - Metallica
Back In Black - AC/DC
Every Breath You Take - The Police
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
House Of The Rising Sun - The Animals
Overkill - Men At Work
Karma Police - Radiohead
Keeper Of The Seven Keys - Helloween

Honourable mentions...

The Song Remains The Same - Led Zeppelin
Run To The Hills - Iron Maiden
He Aint Heavy, He's My Brother - Hollies
Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles

Whats yours?

Alamak....

2006-02-09T13:38:00.000+08:00

Dah agak dah...dah kata dah...kan...betul...hmmm...*sigh* kalah lagi. 0-2 to Charlton.

Boring...

The Greatest Band Ever...

2006-02-07T00:01:00.000+08:00

Listened to any Black Metal recently? Heh heh....
Yesterday I caught the rock-documentary on AC/DC at Channel 71 -MTV. VH1, was it? Yeah, I suppose that was the name of the show. Funny though. At the same time, my Liverpool was playing Chelski on Channel 81. After the first goal, I spent most of my time catching up on some history lesson on AC/DC.

AC/DC, the greatest band? I dunno. Perhaps. But they're probably Aussie's greatest...from the days when they were fronted by Bon Scott and then after his death, the equally great man, Brian Johnson.

My all time AC/DC anthem has to be "Back In Black". Released after Bon Scott's death in 1981, it signalled AC/DC's return to its best. Till today, whenever I need to pick myself up... "Back In Black" is the song to do it. Other favorites include, "Fly On The Wall", "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)", "Hells Bells", "Who Made Who", "Highway to Hell", "You Shook Me All Night Long"....banyak la...and I loved them all. Any one who hasn't heard AC/DC...it's your lost.

But it was kinda funny watching the documentary. Seeing Angus Young without hair. Well, there was but not a lot. Malcolm was doing fine with his hair though. Don't know what happened to Angus's. But Angus is AC/DC. Watching him play with his trademark school uniform and cap. Pure genius, him and his brother, Malcolm. I don't see any new bands coming close to them. They were without a doubt, one of the greatest.

Any other great rock/metal bands? Quite a few. You can't ignore the originals like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, The Animals, Black Sabbath, DIO, Rainbow, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd, Scorpions...then Metal heads...Metallica, Slayer, Sepultura, DRI, Megadeth, Motorhead, Overkill, Suicidal Tendencies, S.O.D, mosh kings...Anthrax....then the alternatives...Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden...British acts....Radiohead, Blur, Pulp, Coldplay, Keane...what about the glam rockers...Europe, Posion, Duran Duran, Dokken, Loudness, Whitesnake, Guns & Roses (yeah....they're glam)...the 80's pop...Men At Work, Spandau Ballet, Toto, Mister-Mister....

I remember listenting to thrash metal band, Bathory....it was a one or two minute thingy and the only lyrics was something like "fuck you..fuck that...fuck this..." Hilarious. And to think I used my walkman to listen to all those metal...makes me wonder my hearing is still good.

So, who then is the greatest band ever?...I don't know, man. I couldn't begin to answer that...

SIGH...

2006-02-06T02:10:00.000+08:00

Well...thats that. Another defeat. Thats 3 games on the trot without a win. And 1 point from 9. We have lost any hopes of catching up to Chelski. I suppose Rafa knew it well before. This Liverpool team, though better than previous is still not ready to take over the mantle of English football.

Just something that I wish to get of my chest....why does Rafa still play Gerrard in the right when we need him to win the midfeild battles. Sosoko is just not the finished product. He has that "Viera" style but he seems to always lose the ball. And why did we play with a lone striker today...

I worry that we're on a run...a negative one. We've got 5 games to play between next Wednesday till Feb 21. With games against Benfica and Man U coming...this is not the time for Liverpool to get stucked. Any time of the day, I'd be happy having players like Crouch, Morientes and Cisse in my team. On the feild and as evident from the games so far, they simply do not score goals. As happy as I was when they bought Fowler back, that just goes to show how the current strikers were banging in them...

So, lets just consolidate our position in the league...Runnersup, if possible. Have a good run in the FA...first by knocking the Devils out...beat Benfica...then we'll see what happens...

Dissapointed that we couldn't nick at least a draw at Stamford....

Oh well...the NFL is on in a couple of hours...Seattle Seahawks anyone?

Kajang 11...(vs Liverpool 11)

2006-02-04T19:11:00.001+08:00

This is the "Kajang 11"... I really don't get the local Police. After the recent "squat" fiasco, then this...was it really ncessary? No...it wasn't. Any way you look at it, there was never a need. Once convicted and sentenced to jail...and when he is actually in jail, then yeah...but surely not when the person has yet to be found guilty. So, the Police really need some makeover. They say it is part of the procedures. Not a good one. *sigh*.

On the other 11, that is my Liverpool 11...Rafa seems to have thrown the towel. So soon Rafa? Or is this Rafa's ploy against the "special one"? But come tomorrow I think we stand a great chance of handing the Blues their first home defeat. 1-0...1/2-0...who cares. As long as we win. Guess who also thinks that we will win tomorrow?....Yeah, he thinks we can win too.

What do you think how Fowler fared against the Brums the other day? Not bad. He has lost his speed. That was evident. But one thing about Fowler was his ability to find space and hurt the other team when it matters most. Fowler flourished in the mid 90's partly because of the service he got from the wings and one bloke responsible for the steady supply was Steve McManaman aka Macca (who is still the most successful English player who stared for Real Madrid...take that Ms Becky!) Any chance of Macca wearing Liverpool's jersey once more? Hahaha...nah. Only in charity games.

Will Owen? Who knows but at this time...who cares?...

Cartoons...IE7 and sex

2006-02-04T00:30:00.000+08:00

1. Well...it has been an eventful week in the international press. Some would ask..."all this about a cartoon?". Yeah, I am afraid so. But why then are Muslims so pissed? Well...quite a few reasons. But it has also been pointed out in a BBC article that cartoons in the Arab and Islamic press "demonising" Jews and Israelis are common. Yeah, I am sure there are many. But was Moses demonize? Or David? Or Abraham? Get the point? You don't? ...oooo...whatever.

But what bothered me most was...why published the cartoons in the first place? Hypocrisy...thats what it is. Richard Itani writing for CounterPunch wrote a good article on this.

Okay. Thats it.

2. Liverpool's coming to London this Sunday to play the billionaires. They haven't lost at home yet. And no one is probably giving them any chance. A draw at best. But nah....nooo....why settle for a point when there is 3 to win? We will win. We will.

3. IE 7 (Beta) is out. You can download it from the Microsoft site (there is none for Mac OS X). I downloaded a copy for the office PC. Played with it. My reaction? *...yawn...* I am sticking with Firefox.

4. Still on browsers, if you love Firefox, Camino and Mozilla, you'll also love the SeaMonkey.

5. Need public speaking advice? Nah...not about the size of the fonts or your background theme...just make sure you had sex before your presentation. Yup. How about that, eh?

...and the losers for today are...

2006-02-02T07:34:00.000+08:00

1. Arla Foods Diary. They spent 40 years building their business. Last year sales in the Middle East topped $480 million. Then the fiasco, and their sales recorded a big fat...zero! Seriously, Arla Foods Diary doesn't deserve this. All this...and what did we all get? I hope things turn around for them.

2. Those boycotting Arla Foods Diary. They're probably missing out on a good product.

2. Liverpool. I stayed up late. In anticipation of "God" playing. Play he did. Coming in for the ineffective Crouch. He even scored, alas ruled offside. Pity. 10 men Birmingham snatched a crucial point thanks to an own goal by Alonso. The Reds ruled the match but they just couldn't find a way. 4 points lost to Birmingham. And to top that, Chelsea also drew and Man U lost! Chelsea next. A win, please.

3. The Editor of the French newspaper that re-published the cartoons who was fired.

sigh...they just don't get it...

2006-02-02T02:27:00.000+08:00

Freedom does not mean that you are free to slander and defame.

But in an expected show of solidarity across Europe, newspapers in Germany, Italy, Spain and France re-produced the originating offending cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist in their newspapers, claiming that "religious dogma" had no place in a secular society.

"Religious dogma"? Huh? Is Jesus a religious dogma too? Then what the f*** is the Pope for? What does the Vatican serve?

Not to be outdone, Reporters Without Borders said the reaction in the Arab world "betrays a lack of understanding" of press freedom as "an essential accomplishment of democracy." Gosh! You need to defame and slander the Prophet to make that point? Okay...sure, it's a cartoon. But the cartoon was intended to represent the Prophet. And the Prophet is Muhammad. And when you depict the Prophet in the cartoon as one of a terrorist, you...by way of your bad taste in humour, by way of your democracy...annouce to the world that this is Islam. And by that...by this notion of the essentials of accomplishment of democracy, you mean to tell me that the world is better by it?

If...and IF... the whole Muslim world or at least the Arab world were to print that 3 million Jews were actually murdered by Christians or that the holocaust never happened and that everything is a lie...would you also defend it as press freedom, which is essential to the accomplishment of democracy? Or would you simply dismiss that as racist overtones expected of people in "those" part of the world (which is not the West)?

I suppose to some, all this is beginning to look rather silly. It probably is. But I am reminded to the fact that if there is something wrong about something and if you have the power to do something...do something to change it. If you don't or do not have the power, the least you can do is to say it in your heart that this is wrong. I may not be able to change those people who obviously think that freedom means freedom to do whatever they please but in my heart, I know that there is a better way for us to forge ahead in this sometimes, "turbulent" age. Slandering...even in the name of satire is just not one of it, I am afraid.

How should I react?

2006-02-01T01:26:00.000+08:00

It's probably right to say that probably knowadays, Muslims to an extent are charactarized by the way they respond to issues that may concern them. Depending on the issue and how you respond could make a Muslim, either a fundamental i.e. extremist, a liberal, a centrist or whatever labels there is.

Take the recent Danish case where this particular Danish newspaper ran 12 cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist (covered by the BBC). The Danish government are saying that this is all about freedom of speech and expression and they are powerless to do anything. I suppose that is true and I suspect any attempts by the current Danish government can result in them being voted out. (heh heh) Freedom of expression is somehow true to the Danish people and to most of the western world.

The Danish newspaper in question said that they regret that the issue has reached this level and reiterated that they did not mean to insult anybody. It also earlier said that it published the drawings to test the boundaries of expresssion about Islam. They also said that they did not mean to insult Islam.

Unless whoever is behind the particular Danish newspaper's decision to run the cartoons is born stupid (how did he/she got the job?) and lives in a cave, any newspaper editor, at least to my mind and with the advent of communications age should know that any depiction of the Prophet Muhammad is not allowed in Islam, in whatever way. More so 12 cartoons depicting the Prophet as a terrorist. If this would not in any way lead to the idea of insulting Islam is really ridiculous to start with.

Sadly, they have difficulty even mustering a simple..."I am sorry". That is what it took to mend ways. And this is why the West has allienate some Muslims. By insulting them. By insulting the Prophet. And for what? To test the boundaries of expression in Islam? Well, since they bloody know now the boundaries, shouldn't they apologize?

In Islam, when you say the Shahadah, you also attest that Muhammad is God's Prophet. If you depict him as a terrorist, then what happens to your attestation? You insult my attestation and you insult my belief

It is the same way if one were to depict Jesus Christ as in the negative. What more when Christians believe that he is also the Lord. You will find it hard to find any Muslim depicting Jesus in a negative manner. But then thats not the point. You just don't go around insulting any other person's belief by lampooning them in any given way you want and then say..."Hey, I was merely testing your patience?" That's bull****.

So as a Muslim, what should I do? How should I react? Historically, we know that the Prophet during his life time had his share of insults. In all those circumstances, the Prophet would not react or harm those who had insulted him even after Mecca was Islamized. More so during that time. So, should I follow his example? Or do I take action?

So when this issue came up, I asked myself..."what then should my reaction be?" Should I be angry? Should I be upset? Yes, I am angry and and upset. Should I take it against all Danish people? No, I should not. Even if the majority of the Danes who was surveyed did not think that neither the Danish government nor the newspaper in question should apologize, I suppose that when dealing with this kind of people, rather than anger, one should probably educate them to see where we're coming from.

The particular Danish newspaper. They're not stupid. They knew what was coming and yet they still persist. I still don't understand why. But, I don't want to waste my time analyzing their intentions. I have to admit, it was surprising...coming from Denmark. I thought most of them had screws on their heads. I suppose, like any other place in this world, they also have their share of idiots.

Update:

Now the French wants in. Great. I am all for freedom of expression but I never believed in total freedom. Life comes with responsibilities. There are boundaries in everything. Respecting each other. Knowing what is taboo in another's community and respecting that. Yes, you have a total freedom. Yes, you can shout that out loud from the highest mountain that there is but what is lacking is the simple notion that, there are rules and there is responsibilities. No civilization evolved under the notion that all is free. Nothing is free. And when you see there are angry people. People who are upset by your actions, what do you do? Do you reflect and ask yourself whether all this is worth it? Worth the trouble of sparking more hatred? Why do you persist when you know you'll only make things worse? As much as I respect your values and your need to freely express yourself, you also should take heed that there are things, which I cannot compromise. Let's meet in the middle. If you wish to lampoon your beliefs, I will not stand in your way. But leave me alone.

Yes...Liverpool against Man U...5th Round FA Cup

2006-01-30T21:51:00.000+08:00

Just what the doctor ordered. A 5th round FA Cup tie...do or die...Liverpool Vs. Man U at Anfeild. Let's knock the devils out.

Fowler return

2006-01-29T01:57:00.000+08:00

I never thought I'd live to see this. But, the prodigal son has returned and I am not talking about Michael Owen. You see, for those who didn't know...well before Owen made his name, there was this striker who took over the mantle from Ian Rush and became one of Liverpool's true marksmen. Robbie Fowler is him and after an unsuccessul time in Leeds but a much better time in Manchester City, he is back at Anfeild on a free transfer. He isn't the Fowler we all came to know but having him will give Rafa some options upfront. Remember, while the Reds outplayed the Red Devils, they didn't score. Fowler came on against them for Man City and score the 3rd goal. So, he is pretty handy to have.

One thing about Fowler is that he has never really performed as he did for Liverpool when playing for England. He was never a regular and scored probably less than 5 goals for England.

So, welcome back Fowler.

Self torture is good...

2006-01-26T02:19:00.000+08:00

I can't sleep. Not that I am not sleepy. Sleepy gak. Just now, I dozed off after watching American Idol on Astro. I should be sleeping. But not that I want to. I have things to finish. Papers to write. And it's piling. Just now, I took a "Are You a Procrastinator?" test. Irony. I spend 20 minutes taking it and yup, it said that I was. Not that I didn't know. But, at least...(my excuse), it said my case was not too serious. Still I haven't finished the work that I promised myself to do. But I had time taking a stupid test. *great*

It's been like this since I can remember. In school. In university. Cramping everything within two or three days. Expecting my brain to absorb it. My brain was in pain. And now, still no change. I still go through the process. Thing is, I know what I am doing. Making things difficult for myself. And yet...I put the things off....still. Damn it.

I've got a paper tomorrow. It's supposed to be at 11 am. Here's my plan. Sleep now. Go to office. Do it before 11 am. *sigh*

Missing pages

2006-01-24T01:16:00.000+08:00

I have been buying GQ for a long time. More than often, I would just grab the magazine without looking at the contents before I head to the counter. Today I bought the February addition with Heath Ledger fronting the magazine. Back home, I wavered through the cover and this caption caught my mind..."WORLD'S SEXIEST SUPERMODEL BARES ALL (PG 128)". Being curious (heh heh), I then head to page 128 but found that 6 pages...starting from page 127 to 132 was ripped off! I am pissed. I paid RM 22.50 for the whole magazine. If they had ripped off 6 pages, they could've at least tell me that they had done it. Then I could make a decision whether I would still consider buying it. I am not that pissed with the ripping. That I had expected. What do you expect? But, what was most frustrating is that I paid the full price for damaged goods. What and where then are my rights? I would understand and not be too pissed if they had "blackened" the "offending" parts of the pictures. At least, I would have my missing pages but to have 6 of it ripped and pay the full sum? No, that is just not right.

An apple in Singapore

2006-01-22T01:49:00.000+08:00

Read from TUAW that Apple may be opening an iTunes store in our southern neighbours, Singapore! Thats great news, especially for Singaporeans. I don't know if Malaysians would have access since normally iTunes stores would only accept credit cards whose billing address is from where their stores are. Incidentally, the report also says that an Apple store (run by Apple itself) may open too. How phat is that? So there you go. We missed out again!

The report says that iPod sales had trippled in Singapore. So, even as Singaporeans wait for the store to really happen, you can't overlook the spending power. And compared to other Asian countries apart from Korea and Japan, piracy is not a huge problem in the island. Of course, Apple are careful where they go and even if China is a mammoth market, there is also the problem with piracy that has made Apple's presence there slower than any Chinese-loving iPod would like. Also, Apple may have to work with Chinese labels since the Chinese may have bigger appetite for Chinese songs than say, the Kaiser Chiefs.

Number to number, we should be the obvious choice than them (Singapore) but numbers are merely numbers. You also need to have spending power. So, will we ever see an iTunes Malaysian store? (We don't even have an Apple web store!... HK, Singapore, Japan, Korea...does) Or an Apple (physical) store? Gosh, I wish I would live to see one. But if we don't....*sigh*, I will just have to make do and make the trip south to go to one.

Apple unrelated, it's just plain frustrating seeing Lee Chong Wei losing his All-England semifinal against China's Lin Dan. At 12-6, 13-8 in the rubber set...you'd think he'd wrapped it up but it was not to be. He crumbled as the Chinese wall stood strong and lost 14-17. So no Malaysian in the 2006 All England Final. Pity because Chong Wei is in form. In the doubles, the all Malaysian final that I (and all of those who cared in Malaysia) had hoped for did not happen. It will be the number two seeds, the Danish pair against the injury prone Malaysian veteran pair. My forecast, our pair will play bridesmaid again.

A face from the past

2006-01-20T11:59:00.000+08:00

It's been some time now. I last saw her years ago but last week, she came back to melt my heart. When I decided that I should leave her, I promised myself that I won't look back and to hold dear what I have right now. It makes no sense losing what I have for something I think I can do without. But after some time, I don't know...the urge. I called her. I don't know if I am doing the right thing. Should I continue? She seems to want it. Tell me if she is worth it.

Monday....

2006-01-16T16:26:00.000+08:00

Damn sleepy....not the picture. Me. I am sleepy.

On the way back...

2006-01-12T18:13:00.000+08:00

I don't understand them. I am at home right now and on the way back, saw a few motorcycles with kids at the back, obvioulsy from school, with no helmuts. Dangerous. The father or whoever it is has one but not the kid. What gives? If anyone who needs to be protected, it's the kid. And they're the ones without any protection of sort. Crazy. Just damn, plain crazy.

Okay...okay. They may say. "It's easy for you to say. You've got a car. I don't" Right. But can't you at least invest on a helmut for your kid? Order one. Tailor make one. Whats that compared to seeing your kid sprawled across the road? It's just irresponsible. Plain irresponsible.

You'd say "I am a careful" Yeah. Sure you are but what about others? That idiot in that car. What about him/her? Can you guarantee that he/she won't run you off the road? What about that pot-hole you didn't see until you hit it? How?

Just common sense.

I have to have it...

2006-01-12T10:27:00.000+08:00

Nothing much excites me knowadays. So when Apples does it yearly gathering in San Francisco, I wait in anticipation of its new product announcements. 2006 saw APPLE tag-teaming with INTEL and the MacBookPro and (new) iMac is "born"!

I love the MacBookPro. Love it...love it...love it.
Its 15" and starts at US1999. The (new) iMac (with Intel) starts at US1299. Great addition to your desk.

Another cool thing is the MagSafe for the MacBookPro. Its a power adapter. The MagSafe connector is designed to magnetically guide your cord into place and disconnect smoothly if someone (else) trips over it. How cool is that. Maybe it doesn't mean anything to some but it shows APPLE has the best interest of its users.

Read all about the MacBookPro and (new) iMac.

Money tips for 2006

2006-01-05T12:18:00.000+08:00

Ten Tips for a Prosperous 2006 -- and Beyond: Money Matters - Yahoo! Finance

Here's some tip for the new year from Suze Orman. It could probably work for you.

2006

2006-01-03T09:18:00.000+08:00

Hello 2006,

I know I am 3 days late but better late than never ; )
Spent my new year at an island.

Targets for 2006? None. Just to be happy. : )

I am back in the office and I don't feel upset. Wow! Good start.

Monday?

2005-12-27T12:26:00.000+08:00

It's Monday ...eh, no. It's Tuesday and why...do I why feel so...like I should be on a holiday.

Nearing the end of the year, I thought I would have more time on my hands. Looks like I don't have any. The nearer it is to 2006, the more things that I have to do. Reports to finish. New plans to commit. Being a procrastinator also does not help ;-)

So, for today I've just finished a meeting. It's lunch time and the place where I am has a Starbucks. Convenient. I am blogging while sipping on a tall frappachino caramel cream based, no cream thingy :-) Nice.

I've got two days to finish up on my deliverables. Then I have a date with the missus and AM. Spending the last days of 2005....where....later.

Anyone else going anywhere?

Michael who?

2005-12-27T01:06:00.000+08:00

It's 1.04 am. I've just finished watching Liverpool's match against Newcastle where old boy, Michael Owen came back wearing the Toon's black and white.

In short, it was quite straight forward. Liverpool all the way. The could've won by a hatful of goals but settled for two, courtesy of Messrs. Gerrard and Crouch. That's 8 games on the trot...all wins and no goals conceded. Nice :-)

In a couple of hours, I'll be back in office...... Oh well, Liverpool did win.

Good procrastination is avoiding errands to do real work.

2005-12-26T02:12:00.000+08:00

My wife says that I am a procrastinator. I too say that I am.
Is there a cure? Yeah...sure, make a list and follow them. Hmmm...okay but maybe I'll just put off that list and work on it later...in a little while ;-)

Which brings me to this article by Paul Graham. Nice. He writes about good and bad procrastination. There is "good" and there is "bad" procrastination?

So now, if I put off throwing out the garbage or to shave, don't be too overly critical...it's just because I have "real" work to do...(which I haven't finished)

Blogging Tools

2005-12-26T01:50:00.000+08:00

I've mentioned before about "Ecto", a great blogging tool. Another that I am testing (I am blogging using it) is "Performancing". Best of all, its free. Download and try it here.

How serious are you at blogging? Do you see yourself blogging till the end? I know some quit after...well, they got bored, got too many things on their plate....until they make a 'comeback', a 'return'...of sorts.
Some are serious bloggers. Making money out of it. Serious bloggers are serial writers. Any matter, any subject. Any day.

Myself. I don't know. I don't consider myself a serious blogger. No doubt. I do not have the time nor the money to do this. But its okay. Making use of the space that I have and to rant on whatever I want. It could be personal. It could critical. It could be about nothing. No one would probably read it but who gives a f***. Unless you want people to know you. Know your thoughts. Know your opinion. But with a billion or more with opinions of their own, mine would probably not count ;-)

But if need to know what a problogger is like. Log into ProBlogger. Great site!

Merry Xmas!

2005-12-25T15:37:00.000+08:00

Yep, it's that day of the year where everyone's favorite color is Red.

Like any other holidays, this is the time for me to relax, catch on some "winks" and yeah...finish some office stuffs.

I am at Starbucks Amcorp Mall in PJ. Just sent AM's grandfather to a meeting in PJ. So while I wait for his call to pick him up, here I am sipping orang juice in a coffee bar ;-)

I like PJ. It was also one of my favorite dating area. It's quiet and all. We always got our movies at State PJ. Until it closed. Today, to my surprise, they've opened it! Cool. King Kong is playing and I think I am gonna bring my wife and AM here.

Liverpool fans...tomorrow. Owen will be coming back. A 2-0 win for the Reds ;-)

AM, me and Liverpool FC

2005-12-23T01:35:00.000+08:00

Once upon a time...a long time ago. Quite. I had this dream that one day I would be playing for Liverpool FC. Ever since I knew how to play football and as every kid wanted to become a doctor, a policeman, a lawyer etc...I always knew what I wanted to be. Yep. A football player, playing for Liverpool FC.

Those days, professional football was unheard off. Those who played football in Malaysia actually had day jobs. So, either one was filthy rich and could survive playing football and not get paid or they just loved the game and didn't care so much about how they're gonna make ends but to be positive...play the game and hope they'll get that break in life.

"Play the game?"..."It's only a game"..."You can't make money from it"...I heard it all. Actually they were right. No one became rich playing football in Malaysia those days.

But I was determined. At least I have to try. At least I knew I gave it all. I didn't really care where this crazy thing would leave me. I had to see out my potential.

So I had a plan. I wasn't going to play football in Malaysia. I had to think big. Large ideas. I want to make it internationally. I wanted to play for Liverpool FC. I told a couple of friends. All agreed I was crazy. All laughed. It got me laughing too. Some thought it was another childish dream. "Play football?...with Liverpool?"...those days, it sounded quite foolish.

But I had a plan. The plan was easy. It required me to do well in my SPM. Get myself a study ticket to the UK and then hopefully start playing football for the university and then pray that someone would discover me. Easy enough, I thought.

First, the SPM part. I hate Maths. I didn't fancy Science too. Well, I wasn't really the "model" school boy. I missed a lot of classes. Especially maths. Well, almost all year round. To cut the story short, when the results came, I barely passed my Maths but I flunked my Add Maths. I got the 1st Grade but with my Maths grade, the chances of me joining the rest my friends overseas seemed remote. That turned out to be the truth. And with that, my dreams.

Am I a good player? Probably. I don't know. I can't grade myself. If one were to ask me, of course I'd say I was good enough. I know it sounds corny now but those days, I always modeled my playing style close to Terry McDormett, the former Liverpool midfielder who tirelessly ran the ground. But would've I made it? Well, that really wasn't important. It was the chance. To see if I could make it.

It's years now. "Get over it!". Yeah, I am over it.

But now I have a son. AM. He's 7 and has a good right leg though he has to work on his left. He likes to run. And if you're gonna play in midfield, you need to. He wants to win and hates to lose. One day, he also would like to football...be in TV and score a lot of goals. And coincidental or not...but, he also supports Liverpool FC. :-)

Okay...okay. I "got" him to support Liverpool FC. It was the only club side who I told him is considered "good" in the bad against evil term. Liverpool equals good equals Ultraman. Others equal bad, which equals Raksaksa. Hahahaha....

My wife said..."Let him decide la who to support". Hmmm...she doesn't understand. I forgave her for that. But to see AM support another team but Liverpool. Am I crazy? Or leave him to choose Man U? In the house of Liverpool? Never...never. :-)

So now AM wants to play football and tells me of his wish to one day play for the Reds.

History repeating itself? I don't know. I hope not. I hope he actually plays for the Reds. Am I going to push him? No...of course I won't. I'll let him decide for himself what he wants to be and support him. He's only 7 going on 8. He has a lot of time to decide what he wants to be. But right now, I am loving it. Now, we talk about what it would be when he captains Liverpool. My name at the back of his number 8 jersey...hehehehe...scoring goals.

A guy can dream, what....

2005-12-21T02:58:00.000+08:00

I am sleepy but I can't sleep. I've got a meeting tomorrow. Kinda "big" meeting so to say. But why...oh why, do they freakin love to give me the freakin documents a day before the meeting.

Do they think that I speed read? Do they think that I don't have other things to do? Maybe thats why I am still not asleep. I am reading the freakin thing! But I am going through it in anger. My mind is clouded. Then its not good reading it. I should go to sleep. But I am too angry and pissed to sleep.

Forget it. Just me ranting.

BTW, has anyone come across YubNub? YubNub is a command-line for the web. In short, you create your own command-line. I've downloaded the plugin for the Firefox search and I love it. Now I can simply type "yma" into the YubNub search and it points me straight to Yahoo Mail. "YMA" is the command-line I created for Yahoo Mail. You too can create another command-line for Yahoo Mail that is easier for you.

How to install YubNub onto your browser? Click here.

Mark Jan 31, 2006 in your calendar

2005-12-20T14:51:00.000+08:00

Mac users, mark Jan 31, 2006 in your calendar. Because that will be the last day that Microsoft will make the IE for Mac available at their Mactopia site.

But honestly, I haven't used the IE for Mac since...well, have never :)

My browser preference when using my Powerbook is as follows:

1. Firefox
2. Camino
3. Safari
4. Opera
5. OmniWeb

So, yeah...they're stopping support for the IE on Mac. Well...whatever :)

In Tehran, bring along your iPod

2005-12-20T11:16:00.000+08:00

Looks like Eminem won't be selling any CDs in Tehran. The Iranian government just banned "western music" from their shores.

Things is they would probably ban George Michael's "Careless Whisper". WTF! Heh heh heh...

Looks like if ever I am in Tehran, I would probably have to bring my iPod. Would they start searching and testing iPods too? Perhaps. Now thats a scary thought. I am just scared they'd find some Alleycats, Flybaits and Sweet September in my iPod :)

Do I have an opinion on this? Yeah...and so do a million others so I probably wouldn't want to repeat them :) It's their country, kan.

The weekend so far...

2005-12-12T23:25:00.000+08:00

I am such a procrastinator. I am. When it comes to work, I like to leave it to the very last. I have tons to do and I haven't finished any. I can do without the extra pressure. Irony is, it's me who is doing it.

Read today of the ugly scenes in Sydney, Australia. Racial riots. John Howard doesn't think Australians are racist. I agree with him. Not all Australians are racist. You find racist anywhere. Some are out right, in your face and not ashame to be one and some are closet racist. There are reasons why one becomes a racist. Ignorance, indifference to name two. But the scenes were something else. The mobs were targetting people of Arabic, Middle Eastern appearance. It was a good thing that there were Police and good minded people or people would've died.

I wonder if I was at Cronulla Beach, would I be attacked to? I may espcape the attacks as I don't really have middle eastern appearance. I may be targetted though if they knew my beliefs. A young Muslim women got her headscarf torn. I would have asked my wife to not wear hers.

The irony is in a country that prides herself as being the land of freedom, I probably can't be what I am. Hmmm...

Had these riots happened in down town Kuala Lumpur, I'd bet you the "know it all" people in Canberra, London and God knows where would have plenty to say. But since it happened in civilized Sydney, Australia, they must know what they're doing. They probably have answers to everything too.

In the yawn...smile...:wtf:...zone

2005-12-09T01:01:00.000+08:00

Champions League news. And Man U has been dumped. They finished last in the Group after losing to Benfica and will not even get to play in the UEFA Cup. To the dissapointed Man U fans out there...my message to you... "hahahahahahahahahaha..."

Closer to reality. There is a lot to do with little time to spare. Basically tired. Of the hundreds of people available, they had to assign me to do it. But I have other things to attend and everything is..."Urgent...ya...Sam". Yeah, since when is everything not? *sigh*

In the bored zone...

2005-12-09T00:27:00.000+08:00

What does your handwriting say about YOU?

The results of your analysis say:

You plan ahead, and are interested in beauty, design, outward appearance, and symmetry.
You are a shy, idealistic person who does not find it easy to have relationships, especially intimate ones.
You are affectionate, passionate, expressive, and future-oriented.
You are not very reserved, impatient, self-confident and fond of action.
You enjoy life in your own way and do not depend on the opinions of others.

A kitten?

2005-12-06T16:38:00.000+08:00

Thanks to Jie for the idea and link ...I am also a kitten... heh heh

You Are A: Kitten!

Cute as can be, kittens are playful, mischevious, and ever-curious. Like you, kittens hate getting wet. Kittens are often loving, but are known to scratch or bite when annoyed. These adorable animals are the most popular pets in the United States--37% of American households have at least one cat. Whether it is your gentle purr or your disarming appearance, you make a wonderful kitten.

You were almost a: Bear Cub or a Duck
You are least like a: Duckling or a Chipmunk What Cute Animal Are You?

The one about the RM5000

2005-12-03T02:08:00.000+08:00

The recent news about the private hospital initially refusing emergency treatment on the bleeding young boy (who eventually died) because his uncle couldn't produce RM5000 was very disturbing. This is not the first time that we read about it. Hospitals are firstly a place to save lives. Not where lives are measured in dollars and cents.

How could some one in full view of his bleeding and dying body let him be and demand money before treatment is beyond my comprehension.

Humanity is dead.

How Much Is Your Blog Worth?

2005-11-30T15:46:00.000+08:00

My blog is worth $564.54.
How much is your blog worth?

Its Monday...

2005-11-28T11:50:00.000+08:00

Last Monday, I saw a couple of boys jogging. This morning, I didn't see any. I still felt like stopping the car and jog.

It rained again today. A slight drizzle. But enough for me to wish that I was still in bed.

Monday is such a drag.

Local news (plus some foreign ones) have been busy with the "nude-squat-clip" thingy. I don't want to add any more but agree that it is very humiliating and degrading. Still, it is part of the procedure not only followed here but in other parts of the world. Does that mean that the police should continue doing so? I don't know. They are reasons why it is done. But they may have to come up with some procedures if the practice is to be continued. Air-tight procedures and all.

What I didn't like about the coverage was that some people, some bloggers liking it to the "Abu Gharib" episode. Please. Can they be not so dramatic? The "nude-squat-clip" thing was bad but as bad as "Abu Gharib"? Then some press, local and international paints the police women as "Muslim lady", "hair covered lady", "dark skin lady" while the victim "light skinned" etc. When I looked at the pictures I saw a Police and a suspect/victim. When I saw "Abu Gharib", I saw an American soldier and an Iraqi. I didn't see a Christian soldier and a Muslim victim. The religion or the beliefs of the American soldier was not paramount to me.

Oh well.

BTW, I am blogging this using "ecto". Apple users, do yourself a favor and use this application! Get it from here.

This Monday morning...

2005-11-21T08:17:00.000+08:00

It's Monday morning and I am at the office. On the way to work this morning, I saw a couple of boys...circa 13-14 years old jogging. They were laughing and joking. Happy.

I felt like stopping the car and join them.

*sigh*

Blogs to Bookmark

2005-11-16T22:43:00.000+08:00

Working With Fools.

Techie Manager.

Tropic of Cubicle.

Slacker Manager Blog.

The one about our "kit"

2005-11-16T00:34:00.000+08:00

Anyone read this bit from the local papers yesterday? We sort of have a "national kit". It is sort of a "tigerish" thing. Yep, with stripes and all. It is damn ugly. Period. They had a competition. They received 4000 proposals and this is the best they came up with. And that with the help of a (so-called) prestigious local college? Go figure. Here's the picture. Tell me if you also think it is silly and cartoonish.

Sorry for not being "patriotic" but this kit is the worst ever kit that I have ever set my eyes on. I will never...never...never buy one. Not for me. Not for my son. Not even for my worst enemies. It is plain ugly. This is politicians trying to be everything. There is nothing wrong with our plain yellow kit. What was wrong with that? By splashing black stripes over the yellow kit will make us world beaters? Unite us? They will unite us, indeed. Unite us a nation with an ugly ridiculous kit. What's next? Will all our sports person be required to grow whiskers so that we can really then look like "Tigers"? Bloody hell!

Happy Divali

2005-11-01T16:45:00.000+08:00

It's Divali today and I am at Starbucks Borders. Yeap. While AM and the cousins plus the moms are somewhere in Times Square, I am here sitting quietly...i.e. not drinking yea...listening to Brook Benton's " A Rainy Night in Georgia" in my sexy, cool Black iPod Nano. How apt...it rained last night.

The last time I was in Borders, the Starbucks inside had no wireless access. Now, thanks to Time, they have. So, after spending RM 298 on books, magazines and CDs (thats my Raya things), I went back to the car, took my PowerBook and decided that I will camp here while the others roam Times Square. Good deal, eh.

I bought Reza Aslan's "No God But God". I read the comments on Amazon and was persuaded to buy it. I hope to finish it during the holidays. Unless there's something on the idiot box la. :) I also bought James Blunt, "Back to Bedlam". A Brit. His song "You're Beautiful" has gotten some local airplay so I bought his album to sample the rest if its any good. Borders are offering 2 CDs for RM 70...so I used that excuse to buy an old favourite, Metallica's "Metallica" or famously known as "The Black Album". I also got the "DaVinci Code". The rest of the world must have read it. So, I'll pore over it and see what the fuss is all about.

Bookstores are great. Especially if there's a Starbucks in it. :)

Dewa's "Airmata" is right now playing in my iPod. Love that song.

Its that time of the year...

2005-10-31T09:02:00.000+08:00

Its that time of the year again. Hari Raya. Or "Eid". Its just like yesterday when we started fasting. Time flies. Unlike others who would be by now in mad rush or planning one...to go back to their hometowns, I don't have to go through that. I'll be at home and after the prayers...glued to the idiot box. Thats for sure. Hari Raya is for the kids. People like me, its just another day.

Friends have asked..."why am I so not in the mood". I don't know. I don't see the point. After a month of fasting, making sure you don't over spend etc....then you do the opposite and go "crazy"!

But Raya is really for the kids. AM is excited about it. But he's not really into the new clothes thingy. Neither does he give a hoot about receiving money. I feel he looks forward towards spending time with his cousins. Playing. Laughing. I suppose in time, he'll appreciate his new clothes and money :) In the mean time, as AM once said to me about clothes..."..asalkan tak bogel, sudah..."

Wellwishers

2005-10-24T10:20:00.000+08:00

We all note the passing of Datin Seri Endon, the PM's wife. Sad news but thoroughly encouraged by PM's resilient in the face of so much sadness for the loss of someone dear to him.

MCA's President, Datuk Ong Ka Ting's mother also passed away yesterday. He also asked that wellwishers not take out condolence advertisement but channel those money to an education fund to be set up under his late mother's name.

There were a lot of those condolence advertisements when Datin Seri Endon passed away. Understandably, all of them had good intentions but I also suppose, those advertisements are not free too. It would've been better if the money for those advertisements went into the coffers of those charities that arwah helmed, supported etc.

All Time 100

2005-10-18T22:26:00.000+08:00

I am not much of a novel reader but check out TIME Magazine's All Time 100 Novels. Whats missing is mine, which is presently being written, as we speak.

From the 100, I've read "Animal Farm", "To Kill A Mockingbird", "Gone With The Wind" (yes, I did), "Catch-22", "The Catcher In The Rye", "Nueromancer" and "1984". 7 out of 100. Hmmm....

Time Magazine also have their All Time 100 Movies List out. How many have you seen? I am not pleased that "Dumb and Dumber" did not make it.

But I just bought the Nano!

2005-10-17T13:58:00.000+08:00

How does one keep up? There's a new iPod and its called "The New iPod". It comes in 30 and 60GB with price starting at USD 299. In your favorite two colors that can only be an iPod...in black and white.

Oh yeah, and if you want a Nano, go and buy it using Apple's Online store for Singapore. Cheaper. Cheaper than what I freakin bought in Heathrow. I don't know if thats the price reserved for the online store in Singapore but different if you were to buy it from a brick and mortar store. Check with your Singaporean buddies. The 2GB will set you back by RM 775 only. Cheaper still at the Apple Online US store. USD 199 only. Translation = RM 756. It's still expensive in the UK and Malaysia. Last seen, it's still RM 969

Back Home...

2005-10-10T15:31:00.000+08:00

I got back home yesterday evening. 13 hours flight back. I am not a good traveller. My body aches and I am bloody tired. Compounding it was my electronic thingy in my flight became faulty after I finished watching "The War of the Worlds" and they couldn't fix it. Oh yeah, the movie is crap. Humans triumphing over the superior aliens? Give me a break. The aliens should've won. Freakin hate humans...

The meeting. It was alright. The people were happy with my presentation. Other speakers ended up qouting a passage from my slides. That was good.

London? London was okay. It would've been better if I was rich too. London is bloody expensive. They say..."Don't convert everything you spend" But I can't help it. I broke my fast at Pizza Hut the other day in Leicester Square and it cost me £12. Thats a freakin RM80++. And I ordered only a veggie personal, nachos and a pepsi. For the same order in KL, that'll only set me back by RM 15 at the most. In KL, RM80 is what you spend for 5 people!

Using the tube for the first time by myself was good. The last time I was in London for a couple of hours, I had somone to hold my hand. So I arrived in Heathrow at the early hours of 5.15 am. Asked for directions and made my way to the tube on my way to Greenwich. Took the ...I forgot which line was it...to...forgot already...to Tower Hill or was it Gate, then to the DLR station, off to Greenwich. Changed at Whestferry and stopped at Greenwich. Walked around 600 meters to Devonport House. Good thing the weather was great. Lazy me would've dropped had it been hot. Later, I would find out that it would've been better if I had stopped at Cutty Sark's station, which was by far...nearer.

Later went to Leicester Square, Convent Garden and Tottenham Road. Was getting better at using the tube. In fact, two people came up to me and asked for directions. I think I gave them the right ones.

Oh yeah, I bought the sexy iPod Nano at Heathrow for £118.30 on my flight back. Cheap when you consider the price in KL. So, since I've been thinking about it, I suppose the price more or less decided it for me. I got the black Nano.

London Bound

2005-10-03T22:39:00.000+08:00

The B0redOne is at the KLIA loungue. Waiting his flight to London. Another 13 hour flight that I am not exactly excited. It would've been better if AM and the wife followed. Spending the first day of puasa away.

On the football front, Liverpool was humbled 1-4 at home. Gosh. Freakin thrashed. *sigh*...It's only October and it looks like the Championship will stay at Stamford Bridge. *sigh* The TV in the loungue is showing the repeat of the game. F***!!!

AM is 7

2005-09-20T23:32:00.000+08:00

AM is 7 years old today. We gave him the freedom of Toys R'us at MidValley. He was very happy.

Happy birthday AM. Mama and ayah wish you all the best. May all your dreams come true!

Rant #4765

2005-09-15T13:26:00.000+08:00

First you gave me a whole stack of documents. Then you gave me a couple of days to comment. Hello! Your documents is the highlight of my life, is it? Like, I should drop everything and just go through that pile of **** that you gave, is it? Then you expect "quality" comments, is it? Forget it. I will go through it when I go through it.

Apple convert

2005-09-15T02:48:00.000+08:00

A seasoned Windows user just converted and I was there to witness it. My friend is now the owner of a spanking 12' iBook. He got a good price for it, thanks to the rebate that he enjoyed. As for me, I saw upclose the iPod Nano. What a gem! The thing is...everytime before I buy something, I would ask myself..."would I use it regularly?" Again, I am not too sure. I sold off my iPaq and Palm when I realised I wasn't using it. Though you can't really measure the iPod against them, I still am not persuaded that I may be a permanent user of it.

But the Nano is really eye-candy.

Google latest employee

2005-09-10T01:52:00.000+08:00

Google is surely becoming a Giant. The pioneer of the Internet just signed up.
Read Vinton Cerf's discussion on why he's joining Google.

Malaysia ex-PM sparks UK walkout

2005-09-10T00:51:00.000+08:00

Tun M has always been known to speak his mind. Sometimes, he speaks that most simply would not. Some now accuse him of trying to apologize for his own mistakes while in Government. Is he? I don't think so. Tun M has never said he is without fault. No one is. Leaders like Tun M will always have his own share of critics. But in his years in office, he has single-handedly turned this country to what it is now. And those who have grown and prospered are some of those that see it fit to even try to put on his shoes. Give me break. But, is Tun M going to loose sleep over it? No, he won't. Does he care that Britain's High Commissioner walked out during his speech? No, he is not. Is he bothered that half a dozen more European diplomats left with the British? No, he is not. Al Gore had walked out even when he was hosting a dinner in 1997.

It's all hankydory for us to listen to them crow and lecture us about human rights etc but when Tun M does one over them, they walk.

One thing about Tun M. You can accuse him of whatsoever you want to but he will not walk off.

Women and Sharia Laws

2005-09-09T15:19:00.000+08:00

The BBC today reported that protests have been held in cities across Canada aimed at stopping Ontario province from adopting sharia-based law to settle Muslim family disputes.

The proposal has alarmed women's' and human rights groups. They say sharia law does not view women as equal to men. Homa Ar-Jomand, campaign protest co-ordinator, believes that the system should be completely secular.

"We strongly believe that Islam has never been moderated," she said, adding that faith-based arbitration of family disputes is not relevant in the modern world.

Is it? I honestly do not think so. Women have always been protected under the Sharia. One must differentiate between the laws and those who rule on it. And then you have culture-based beliefs mixed together with it, blurring the lines of Sharia, which has always protect Muslim women.

This is where Islamic scholars need to be more vocal.

The iPod Nano

2005-09-09T15:08:00.000+08:00

I've got to get one! The iPod Nano is the one in the middle. It comes in two colors. Black and White. Beautiful. And Walt agrees to :)

The black one to marry my 12" PowerBook.

KL bound

2005-09-08T09:40:00.000+08:00

@ Incheon Airport. Going back. Weather is fine. The airport is quite spacious. Lines of stores. Expensive stores. I just want to see AM and the wife.

Dewa and Seoul

2005-09-05T06:47:00.000+08:00

Got up to the tune of "Air mata" by Dewa, Indonesian rock band. Nice.

Its Sunny in Seoul today. Woke up early. As all efficient presenters, I do mine at the 11th hour. Thats when my brain juice work over time.

Creative wins MP3 player patent

2005-09-04T22:56:00.000+08:00

Not quite new but still not bad for a company born in Singapore. But are they gonna milk Apple for some loose change? Maybe but doubt it if they can see much of it :)

In Seoul

2005-09-04T22:34:00.000+08:00

The BoredOne is in Seoul. Nearly 7 hours in the plane. A couple of minutes at Immigration. Which sucked. I wish all airports were Malaysian Passport friendly. That'll be a breeze clearing Immigration. Eh, I thought Korea was all IT? I suppose some things, you'd like to do the traditional way, which is to make everyone as uncomfy as possible.

The Hotel is nice. It's nice cause its freakin expensive and yep, you have to pay for the Wi-Fi. So, it sucks. USD 20 for a whole day. This has to be the most expensive rant in this blog-space. The provider is Inter Touch, based in Singapore. But only for today cause I have to do some work. Tomorrow, I have free Wi-Fi at the meeting. Great for my pocket.

Tomorrow will be a long day. Meetings and discussions.

Got Kimchi?

2005-09-03T23:44:00.000+08:00

The B0red one is presently at the KLIA lounge awaiting his flight to Seoul, Korea. Totally filled with 7up's.

Totally b0red

2005-09-01T16:25:00.000+08:00

What do you do when b0red? You go out and watch a movie, buy a DVD, rent one...I was at Sri Hartamas yesterday. Planned to buy some DVDs and watch it at home. Planned to buy the latest flick "40 Year Old Virgin" or the "Dukes of Hazzards". Browsed...pestered the store assistant with questions...continued to browse. 30 minutes. In the end, walked away. Store assistant annoyed. Money saved. But still b0red...

Apple's new new thing

2005-09-01T09:44:00.000+08:00

Apple seems to have something up their sleeves and its connected to the iPod or so from what I read. It could be an iPod with video playback capabilities or or an iPod that includes the functionality of a personal digital assistant. Some says that it has to do with an announcement of a cell-phone from Motorola that will contain built-in support for Apple's iTunes software, with a connection to Apple's popular online music store.

I'd personally go for the video playback capabilities and iPod like PDA. What's so special about music capable phones anyway? There's plenty out there. And I like my phone to do just what it is suppose to do. Perform like a phone. But an iPod that has video playback is an enhancement in the right direction and would probably win new converts. An iPod PDA too would go very far as in getting me to buy one. I once was the owner of an iPAQ and Palm Zire. I sold them. If Apple is selling iPod PDAs, let me have one.

The announcement is planned on Sept 7 at San Francisco.

It's all about colors, Owen...

2005-08-31T23:25:00.000+08:00

Many years from today and as Gemma grows up, this picture will scar her. No right girl would want to be seen in stripes...and in black and white too. *snigger*

Eh, he looks kinda familiar. No, not the one on the right. The ones in the middle and left. One left Liverpool to win trophies (*snigger*) and one left Liverpool in ruins (!) - Pictures from BBC.

Good Luck

2005-08-30T22:41:00.000+08:00

The unthinkable happened! Owen will wear the black and white of Newcastle when the EPL resumes after the international week. Unless something remotely drastic happens, that will the case. I can't really blame Owen. He had made the world known that he wanted to come back to Anfeild. But Anfeild just didn't have the money to make any serious challenge to Newcastle's bid, which brings me to say "Where did the Geordies get that freakin amount of money, especially when one consider they're not even in the Champions League?"

Owen, Shearer and Luque. Interesting lineup. On paper, awesome trio but we will have to see if they really can click. It has been sometime since Owen and Shearer played together and Shearer is probably not the same one when they last played together. An interesting fact though. In Liverpool's red, Owen never failed to score against the Geordies. In the black and white of Newcastle, Shearer has yet to score against Liverpool.

Though the full contract is not made public, there are suggestions that there is an escape clause for Owen and he could probably be back in Liverpool's red by the next season. Will he ever get to play for Liverpool again? Who knows. But in World Cup year, he needs to play regularly. So good luck on him. But he'll never score against Liverpool. Never. :)

You will have to avoid using the planes listed in the BBC report if you're going to France and Belgium.

2005-08-30T01:04:00.000+08:00

Frankly, it does make sense. Probably it's the only best way to get those airlines to take safety seriously. Too many accidents have happened in the last few months resulting in many deaths. Deaths that could've been avoided. From the French list, representing South East Asia, Phuket Airlines of Thailand was identified. Probably a low cost plane since I've never heard of them.

Apple Us

2005-08-30T00:22:00.000+08:00

Finally, she bought it. Yep, the missus agreed to be a Mac. And she's loving every single minute of the Mac-Experience. No regrets. She was admittingly apprehensive and anxious in the start but after a few trips to the Apple Store. Getting the feel...the groove of things and also seeing me 'play' with my PowerBook, she then chose to be different... :)

Now we plan to get one for AM. We're thinking of getting the eMac for him. But we also would love the idea where each of us own a laptop to boot. Then that will be pretty cool.

We were at Starbucks Ikano Power the other day. Two Macs on the table. You can sense that all eyes were on us. Among the many, there was a family of 3 that shared an iBook. They too gave us the "eye" when we opened our bag and took out our iBook and PowerBook. A few gave us that silent "nod". Respect. I sniggered. I expected it.

Jakarta to Seoul

I just came back from a 4 night stay in Jakarta, Indonesia. Business trip of course. First time in Jakarta. Whats to say? It's more or less Kuala Lumpur but bigger, more people and kinda polluted and the traffic is a mess. Hate the traffic. But things are cheap. Not cheap...cheap but cheap enough. Especially cloth. I could start a small business in Kuala Lumpur selling materials to the women of Malaysia :)

A couple of days, I'll be leaving for Seoul. It'll be my first time in Seoul too. Probably, it'll be Tokyo-like. I don't know. I suppose so. I just booked the hotel. It freakin cost more or less RM 900++ a night ! Freakin expensive. They better have free Wi-Fi in the room! Good thing I'll be reimbursed by the company.

I have mixed feelings about travelling. I kinda like it. But I kinda don't like it that much. I suppose leaving your family sucks. AM (my son) cried whilst walking to the car according to his mom when they sent me off for Jakarta. But I spoke to him and the missus everyday from Jakarta. Freakin cheap too. The 4-days I was there, I spent only RM 10 roaming on Indo-Sat (I think) on phone calls. But I still miss them.

So, it's another 4 nights in Seoul. Whatever it is, home...as they say, is where the heart is.

Politician quit after slur

2005-08-29T16:10:00.000+08:00

Sometimes I wonder what they really think. Is it really the drinking or did the drinking gave them the "strength" to say what was in their minds all this time? I don't believe that everyone subscribes to it but when it comes from someone who you'd think, should know better...you wonder...and you wonder.

Update

He tries to kill himself.

What war bring.

2005-08-29T12:22:00.000+08:00

Another journalist killed. An Iraqi working for Reuters. Shot by American soldiers. I supposed they or the sniper thought he was a terrorist hell bent at blowing himself. The pictures are of his father and uncle. A bullet to his face and four to his chest. They got him alright. *sigh*
War. An excuse for killing.

Sleeping Pills

2005-08-29T02:21:00.000+08:00

It's 2.12 am. I can't sleep. I want to but I can't. In a couple of hours, it's back to the office. I don't feel it anymore. Going to the office. Staring at the PC. Maybe it's because of the PC. Maybe if the office gave me an iMac. Maybe then will I see my office differently. Then would I wake up early. Take a bath early. Drive my car fast. To see my iMac.

Nahhh...who am I kidding?

Do you?

2005-08-10T02:16:00.001+08:00

Currently Listening
Kill 'Em All
By Metallica
see related

Do you ever get the feeling that you just want to leave and start something new?
Do you get the feeling that things never change and/but you want to?
Do you get the feeling that organizations has a life of its own and it must be allowed to live and not to die every single day?
Don't you think we should re-invent ourselves to survive?
Do you get the feeling that life has become a routine and you're living it every single day?
Do you get the feeling that waking up...every day to go to work is such a task that you wish you won the lottery?
Do you get the feeling that given a chance, you'd like to kick some ass?
Do you feel tired and you just want to step back...walk to that door and never return...?
Do you?

...I damn do!

Blast in London

2005-07-08T01:19:00.000+08:00

I was in London the other day. I 'missed' it by 6 days. Had it been sooner...but as they say, the writing is not on the wall, yet.

Idiots...and the innocent ones pays. *sigh*

UPDATE

2005-07-07T01:08:00.000+08:00

Oooopppsss...I changed my mind...

Jeez!...what a drama-queen

You'll Never Walk Alone...

2005-07-06T01:53:00.000+08:00

Just go...okay!

Hey Stevie G. Yeah, Stevie G of Liverpool FC. Captain of 2005 Euro Champions. Yeah you. Just go okay. Don't be sulkin! Don't be accusing that Liverpool didn't want you. Who won the Euro Cup? Stevie G FC or Liverpool FC. Just go, will you. You're crap. Do you think you're bigger than Liverpool FC? Just take your sulking ways and move. Go to Chelsea...go to Madrid. I don't bloody care. Though I wish you'd go to Chelsea so that Carragher could clatter your puny legs at will when we meet. Thank you for your services but you know, you should learn how Keegan left Liverpool FC. With dignity. The fans were told. Everyone was told. He didn't hold the club to a ransom. We knew it before the season ended. Thats why Keegan is a pro. And you're just crap. But thanks again. Go now. Put on that blue jersey.

Now Rafa...use that money. Buy some quality players. Players who want to play for the Reds. Those days...that mattered most.

2005-07-05T15:08:00.000+08:00

Your Birthdate: July 5

With a birthday on the 5th of the month you are inclined to work well with people and enjoy them.

You are talented and versatile, very good at presenting ideas.

You may have a tendency to get itchy feet at times and need change and travel.

You tend to be very progressive, imaginative and adaptable.

Your mind is quick, clever and analytical.

A restlessness in your nature may make you a bit impatient and easily bored with routine.

You may have a tendency to shirk responsibility

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Your Hidden Talent

You have the natural talent of rocking the boat, thwarting the system.
And while this may not seem big, it can be.
It's people like you who serve as the catalysts to major cultural changes.
You're just a bit behind the scenes, so no one really notices.

What's Your Hidden Talent?

You are funky, outdoorsy, and down to earth.
While you may not be a total hippie...
You're definitely one of the most free spirited people around.

You are very impulsive - every day is a new adventure.
However, you do put some thought behind all your actions.
Still, you do tend to shock and offend people from time to time!

The World's Shortest Personality Test

Geneva

2005-07-05T03:02:00.000+08:00

Currently Listening
Hitch
By Various Artists
Amerie "1 Thing"
see related

Back home after a week out. Was at Geneva for a meeting together with kr0nos. We were at separate meetings though and so was hotels. Kr0nos stayed in town whilst I stayed near a residential zone which was kinda boring...

Meeting was good. Made new friends. Put some faces onto emails. The trip to Geneva was okay. The 14 hours or so via London wasn't too bad. Of course, the business class ticket helped. Spent most of my time watching movies. Movies that I probably won't go to if I had to go to a cinema.

This is my first trip to Geneva. My first impression? Not bad but I wouldn't want to stay there. Sure Geneva is clean, interesting buildings, people are okay but it's expensive and I won't be able to survive there. I don't kinda like the food too. And I guess the weather when its cold won't be an attraction too. Lucky for me when I was there, it was summer. I felt like I was in KL.

Some of the hotels there don't have a freakin aircondition system. Mine didn't and it took me by surprise to be honest. Huh? Searched around for a couple of minutes for it and I only found the heater. Went down to the reception and was told that there is no aircond. What kind of hotel is this? But I was too tired to look for another hotel so...they gave me a table-fan instead. *sigh*

TV in Geneva sucks. Almost everything was in French or German. The only english speaking channel was the CNN, BBC, Business Channels...and the MTV. So, it was mostly MTV for me for the 5 days.

Didn't do much shopping there. The only shopping I did was for chocolates. Spent the equavalent of RM 120 at the Manor. Thought that watches would be cheap. Thought wrong. It was more or less KL price so I didn't buy any. Anyway, I am not so much of a watch freak like kr0nos.

The 4th night I was there. I went out for dinner with 2 guys from the Dept of Justice, USA, a Norwegian Federal Judge and the Cyber Police Chief of the Dominican Republic. So there we were...2 Yanks, a Norwegian, a Dominican and a Malaysian on a street cafe. The bill came to nearly 400 swiss francs. We went dutch. Oh yeah...I didn't like the fried fillet and coffee sucked

My hotel is a 10 minute walk to the meeting area. Not bad. Tiring though. Those who know me knows that I barely exercise. It showed. My legs still hurt. No thanks to twice walking to town, which was a 20 - 25 minute walk. Not too far but at the condition I am...F***!

I was at Live8 with kr0nos. Yes, we were! We were there when we stopped over in London on the way back. We took the 9.55 am flight from Geneva on July 1 and made it to London by 11 am. So there we were...kr0nos and me...in London and we were there not to see the Queen or London Bridge.

We made our way to Hyde Park...followed the crowd trail and joined thousands in the war against poverty. Kr0nos was eager...walking very fast...trying to look for a Live8 t-shirt. I concluded that there was none within seconds when I couldn't find anyone among the thousand wearing one. So...off we went...looking for that elusive t-shirt that just wasn't there but in kr0nos's imagination...

We got to hear U2 and Coldplay before we decided to get back to the airport. But the sound...the music...you just have to be there to enjoy it. Defeaning. You could hear it even if you're outside and miles away from the park. Kr0nos and I then took a tube/train and bus adventure in London before arriving back to Heathrow for a bath...no, not together! The MAS lounge in London aint too bad. Wish they had more food though. Got some drinks...ate some...watched SnoopDog on telly before kr0nos and I hit the shops in Terminal 3. Bought some mags. Thought of buying a Paul Smith but at 50 quid...thats like RM 350 a shirt. Nah...
Kr0nos did some shopping too. He bought some chocs, magazines...and I was there when he bought some lipsticks...but then, it's his life. I shouldn't judge him.

After an hour or so, made our way back to the lounge. Took a bath. We didn't take one when we first arrived. Felt good and energized after that. Relaxed a bit. Drank free sodas, ate some nuts and bid our time before making our way to the departure hall...into the plane...and 12 hours of free movies...songs...back to KLIA.

Home is where the heart is....

I hear things...

2005-06-14T03:13:00.000+08:00

Currently Playing
Nevermind
By Nirvana
see related

Sometimes I look for that 2nd voice. It has been years since I heard it. That voice that tells me to take that leap of faith. I took several leaps then. Now, that voice has been kinda silent.

But if you're looking for manifestos. Manifestos for life, hopes...whatever. Take a look at this. Maybe something will change.

Million Dollars...RM 3.8 million

2005-06-13T01:05:00.000+08:00

You want to make a million? Hope this helps.

APPLE and Coldplay

2005-06-11T23:50:00.000+08:00

Currently Reading
Revolution in The Valley
By Andy Hertzfeld
see related

I bought this a couple of weeks ago. Great stuff!

Currently Playing
X&Y
By Coldplay
see related

I also bought Coldplay's latest..."X & Y"
Great sounds...great band/group...

Currently Reading
iCon Steve Jobs : The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business
By Jeffrey S. Young, William L. Simon
see related

Good thing I didn't order the book thru Amazon. Was tempted too but told myself to sit and wait for it to touch KL. The book finally did on May 26. Okay...I was more than a week late. We were at MPH M'Valley (technically) yesterday. Bought the book and if you pick up another thing...pen, magazine whatever in the store, you get 15% off the book price, which was good!

Missus doesn't understand my love for the APPLE...anything about APPLE. I also purchased the book: "Revolution in The Valley - The Insanely Great Story of How The Mac Was Made" by Andy Hertzfeild (co-creator of the Mac) a couple of weeks ago. Great stuff. Great people. These are creators, dream seekers, etc.

I'll try to read it during the weekend. But probably not. Have a ton to finish by Monday. F***! Maybe I'll read it next week during my...how many hours...13 perhaps, in the plane.

The Apple/Intel Marriage

2005-06-08T01:18:00.000+08:00

Don't worry. We won't be just another PC...another laptop, despite the marriage. Read what MacWorld's Jason Snell has to say. Good things will come out of this :)

Red is the color.

2005-05-28T01:25:00.000+08:00

I still am high from the Champions League Final drama. Which Liverpool fan aint? Yeah, after a very long wait. We're back at the throne. Next year? Who knows. If UEFA allows, Liverpool will be there. If not, then...whatever. 2005 saw one of the greatest comeback in a Cup Final.

A colleague (obviously, a lady) commented..."It's only football".
My dear..."It's more important than that...more. You'd never understand..."

I will be on a 4 day holiday. We're going off...just around Malaysia but I could use some quiet time. Away from the office. And to catch up on some deserved sleep.

CHAMPEONNNssss

2005-05-26T05:37:00.000+08:00

*sob* *sob*

Oh My GOD...Oh My GOD...what a final...what a final...

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS.....

Whatda...

2005-05-26T04:10:00.000+08:00

Oh..my GOD...its 3-3....freakin fuckin crazyyyyyy!!!
Whatever happens...this is a freakin FINAL to remember

25 minutes to go

It's a crime...Rafa!

2005-05-26T03:50:00.000+08:00

Halftime :(

I may not be a football coach but one thing I know is that...you don't change a winning solution! Rafa just did that and we are now 3 goals down! Kewell in for Hamann? Then Kewell goes out and Smicer comes in. What the hell? Is this not the Champions League Final? Why is he playing people who probably will be playing the last game in Liverpool's Red. I would've played Hamann or Biscan than Kewell. The reason why we were so successful in the previous rounds was for a simple reason. We battled and we battled magnificently in midfeild. Sure it wasn't pretty but players like Biscan had a job and the job was simple. Make life miserable for the opposing midfeild and to hell what people say!

And after being so good at it, Rafa abandons all for the final and we see Milan taking control of midfeild. Kaka has the whole feild to his own. Seerdorf is commanding and everyone is getting on the act...queing up to score. 3-0 at halftime. OMG! Are we going to get thrashed??? Fuck!!!

I don't normally give up but 3-0 against Milan. Thats it. Lights out. Tomorrow's another day. No Champions League for us next season and all month long, we will hear Gerrard whining. He's off here...he's off there. Where was actually Messrs. Gerrard in the 1st half? No where!
I turned off the telly. Too sad and angry. 21 long years. So many years. And we're being played off the park.

Again Rafa...if it aint broken, don't freakin fuckin fix it!

Come on Liverrrpppooolll....

2005-05-26T01:03:00.000+08:00

An hour before kick-off. 20 years since we last played in a final. 21 years since we last won it. The buck stops here. It will be a Red day to remember! I predicted this final when everyone thought the Reds will be knocked out by Juventus during the Q/finals. But here we are. It's not Chelsea, it aint Juventus or Barcelona. I don't mind the score line as long as the Reds score more. What would be fantastic if Carragher were to score the winning goal. I may even cry. Carragher has been one of the most consistent player on the feild this year for Liverpool. 1 more game. Just 1 more game.

I am wearing Liverpool's Red and I look good :)

Been a while...

2005-05-18T01:10:00.000+08:00

It's been a while since I last blogged. Not that there wasn't anything to blog on but after Bangkok, work just piled up. I was kinda busy. Too lazy to write. So...

But great things have happened since. Liverpool are in the Champions League Final. I guess some consolation for an average season. I predicted a Liverpool and AC Milan final. And Liverpool will win this one too. :)

So...I am still lazy. I don't know if I would be blogging consistently after this. We will see.

Bytes...

2005-04-04T01:04:00.000+08:00

It rained the whole day today (Sunday, April 3), which was kinda nice :) I love rain. I just love to lie down with a book or magazine and drift away...or as AM would say "snore away" :) I bought two new mags this weekend, Fast Company and WIRED.

Since I am leaving for BKK tomorrow, we went out to Midvalley later that evening. Thought of buying loafers since the old ones are worned out but in the end, didn't. Had dinner and rushed back home cause the wife wanted to catch "Anugerah Bintang Popular"... *sigh*...whatever.

Looks like Alonso won the Bahrain F1. 2nd win after Sepang. Not bad the Renault. The two toughest race...and the French outfit ran out winners at both. So far, 3 straight wins. Ferrari? A single point from the last two race. Schumacher is a good person and a good driver but I have had enough of Ferrari and him. I'd like to see someone new. Alonso and Renault fits that description.

I haven't packed anything yet. Maybe after this. I so hate packing. I wish I could just buy new clothes wherever I go and not worry about packing. But then reality check...I don't have the money to do that :)

Citizen Sam

2005-04-01T23:36:00.000+08:00

I went to the bank today before going for Friday prayers. A lot of people was in the bank. I got the ticket and it said # 178. The current number then was # 156. Gosh!....another 22 people. With no seats available, I stood there trying to look as calm and collect as possible even though I felt mighty pissed.

Then, it called out # 166...no one came forward, followed by # 167......then # 170...whoever it was left. He/she probably didn't have the patience to wait. I was tempted to step right up and claim one of those numbers when it was called. But I decided against it. I think I did the right thing. Thats why today, I am giving myself a pat. Good on you Sam. You're our model citizen. Despite your "pissedness", you did not take any drastic measures and bide your time.

*clap, clap* *thumbs up*....

Arrgghhhh...

2005-03-31T01:59:00.000+08:00

I've got freakin headache and yet, I can't get myself to sleep. Bored as hell. It rained a little bit but it stopped. Please rain so that I can go to sleep.

We were at Lotus near Nikko Hotel. The wife owed money to Citibank. I had the lamb chop (maybe thats why I have a headache or was it because it rained a bit), the wife...paper tosey and AM aka "Tambi" had what else but Roti Canai and Dhal. This is the second time I had the lamb chop. Not bad considering I am not exactly a lover of lamb, goat etc.

I bumped into a friend there too. Funny because we had a "dinner meeting" at the same place a couple of days ago. Hmmm...seemed that a lot of people do their business there. Saw a couple of tables with guys poring over documents. Maybe they were filling up loan applications

Thought of washing the car today but since it rained, I didn't see any need for it. I'd just waste my money cause a couple of meters later...it'd be dirty again so why bother!

Do you have it?

2005-03-29T18:30:00.000+08:00

The PM outlined 6 traits for a CEO to succeed. They are:

a) Flexibility to adapt quickly in a changing and highly uncertain globalising world;
b) Building resilience in his company;
c) Developing leaders within his organisation and executing his company’s short and long-term
strategies;
d) A balanced outlook;
e) The highest level of ethics and integrity; and
f) Honesty and sincerity.

Do you have those qualities? Why not put yourself on the spot and see if you do.

Do you think you're too rigid? You hate change? How do you perceive change? How are you at facing challenges...known and unknown? How resilient are you as a leader? Do you take risks? Calculated risks? What are your main assets? People? How do you ensure they stay? How do you tell who are your assets? What are the qualities? Can it be translated into success?

How do you lead? From the top? Your line of "generals" so to say but think...what matters most? Your soldiers? They are the ones who fight the real war. What about them? How do you keep your soldiers passionate about what they do? Money? How do you instill the "belief" to an army? More money? Rewards? What?

Do you practice what you preach? Or do you preach and yet have another set of rules for yourself and your inner circle? Are you in it because you want to lead for the better or you think there's something for you at the end of the rainbow? Like money, titles and prestige? How do you tell that it is time to leave or do you think you should lead forever?

I am sure that there are a thousand and one more questions but I'll just leave it at that. So, do you have what it takes?

The computer is a guy...

2005-03-29T09:49:00.000+08:00

A friend pass this to me. You probably heard/read it before but...whatever :)

A French teacher was explaining to her class that in French, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine. "House" for instance, is feminine - "la maison." "Pencil," however, is masculine "le crayon." A student asked, "What gender is 'computer'?" Instead of giving the answer, the teacher split the class into two groups, male and female, and asked them to decide for themselves whether "computer" should be a masculine or feminine noun. Each group was asked to give four reasons for their recommendation.

The men's group decided that "computer" should definitely be of the feminine gender ("la computer"), because:
1. No one but their creator understands their internal logic
2. The language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else
3. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for possible later retrieval; and
4. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it.

The women's group, however, concluded that computers should be masculine ("le computer"), because:
1. In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on
2. They have a lot of data but still can't think for themselves
3. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time THEY are the problem;
4. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model.

so...........The women won.

Time flies...yes, it does...

2005-03-27T01:23:00.000+08:00

Ermmm....is this good?

Your Brain is 53.33% Female, 46.67% Male

Your brain is a healthy mix of male and female

You are both sensitive and savvy

Rational and reasonable, you tend to keep level headed

But you also tend to wear your heart on your sleeve

What Gender Is Your Brain?

It's 7 minutes past 1. Everyone is asleep. I don't feel well. My body aches and I have a headache. This is the second day. I guess, give it a couple of days and some panadols, it'll go away.

England just won 4-0 against a helpless Nothern Ireland squad. I pity the Irish. They haven't got the break, scoring is alien to them and they still cling on to that famous win against Spain in World Cup 1982 to remind themselves that they do have some football history.

It rained today. Constantly. I just finished watching "One Hit Wonders" in Channel 70. The songs were mainly 80's hits. It bought memories. I grew up in the 80's. And whenever I hear songs from that decade, I am transported back. To friends. Life was simpler and easier. The big hair, the shoulder pads, the "carrot-cuts", breakdance, Micheal Jackson at his peak, the Police..."Every Breath You Take", Men At Work, Spandau Ballet, Toto, Duran Duran, Scorpions...so many of them. Colored my life back then. I wonder what happened to those whom I knew then. Do they blog too? :)

Well, whatever it is...it's a wet early Sunday morning. I will be out of Malaysia next week on business. Given a chance, I don't want to. I don't particularly like going out station. I am at a stage that I just want to be at home. I don't know how those people do it. Flying in and out every single week. I doubt very much I can do that.

March is ending. The end of the 1st quarter of the year. Time flies...yes, it does.