Tender. Loving. Care. Earnest.

Funny matches

2010-06-08T12:49:00.002+08:00

Ronaldinho looks like Jar Jar Binks from Starwars.

Wayne Rooney looks like Shrek??? HAHAHAHA

thats what they say. . . .

2010-06-02T21:58:00.000+08:00

MALAYSIAN POLITICIANS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS

February 2, 2010 (1Malaysia seminar in Malacca)

If you say children say the darndest things, wait until you hear what politicians say, especially Malaysian politicians.

Do you remember the classic "Bangladeshi men are good lovers" remark by former trade minister, Rafidah Aziz in parliament a few years ago? Or the infamous former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad's anti-Semitic statement, "Jews rule the world by proxy,"?

Compilation Of The Darndest Statements and Remarks Made by Malaysian Politicians

March 1, 2009 (Bernama)

"The use of the term bumiputra is racist"

Nik Aziz Nik Mat, Kelantan's chief minister

Nik Aziz's remarks was made in response over growing criticism from the conservative spine of UMNO against comments made by DAP's Dr Boo Cheng Hau, the opposition leader in Johor.

Dr Boo was reported to have compared "bumiputeraism" with apartheid.

November 20, 2009 (New Straits Times)

"Employees in the private sector used English 99 per cent of the time and should switch to Bahasa Malaysia in order to show pride in the national language"

"We are polluting our own culture and identity as a nation"

Mohd Puad Zarkashi, deputy education minister

Mohd Puad said that said that speaking English in the workplace is 'weird' and harmful to the nation's culture and identity, and criticised young people for using a mix of English and Bahasa Malaysia in SMS text messages and on the Internet.

January 16, 2010 (The Star)

"Malaysians, especially Muslims, must avoid being totally immersed in the internet culture, especially Facebook and Twitter"

"Internet will erode Malaysian culture"

Rais Yatim, information, communications and culture minister

Rais Yatim said Muslims and other religious groups must be wary of the Internet as it was introduced by the West. Rais said users must not be influenced by what they see and hear when using the Internet

January 22, 2010 (chedet)

"In September 2001, the World Trade Centre was attacked allegedly by terrorists. I am not sure now that Muslim terrorists carried out these attacks. There is strong evidence that the attacks were staged"

"If they can make Avatar, they can make anything"

Dr Mahathir Mohamad, former prime minister

His remarks, published in his blog, backs conspiracy theories put forward by fringe groups, and comes just days after he had also said that the Holocaust had failed as a final solution against the Jews.

"Indians came to Malaysia as beggars and Chinese especially the women came to sell their bodies"

"Indians in Malaysia have crossed the line. They force the government for 12 subjects in SPM. Don't force the government. We can anytime revoke the citizenship of the Indians in Malaysia"

Nasir Safar, prime minister's former aide

Najib's aide, Nasir Safar tenders his resignation after being called 'racist' over his remarks.

March 1, 2010 (Utusan Malaysia)

"Think a thousand times before entering a mixed marriage"

"It is, perhaps, better for those involved in mixed marriages not to have children."

Rais Yatim, information, communications and cultureminister

The minister cautioned that incidents of marriage breakups involving Caucasians happened more frequently, as compared to thove involving other ethnics group.

30 March, 2010 (In an interview with Al-Jazeera)

"If they say that oh, we feel that we are second class citizen, don't talk s**t la I tell you. You see, don't talk sh**t. I repeat, don't talk s**t three times. We the Malays have forgive a lot of things to these people. We have sacrificed a lot of our interest"

Ibrahim Ali, president and founder of Perkasa

Ibrahim expressed his views on the minorities in Malaysia in an interview with Al-Jazeera.

April 1, 2010 (New Straits Times)

"I'm Malay first, Malaysian second"

Muhyiddin Yassin, deputy prime minister

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that he would be shunned by his own race if he did not regard himself "Malay first" instead of being "Malaysian first".

April 21, 2010 (The Malaysian Insider)

"Everything, right down to the underwear, too. I know everything now"

Najib Razak, prime minister

Najib claims he knows everything about Anwar Ibrahim and PKR.

HAVE FUN AND ENJOY THE COMMENTS MADE BY THE PEOPLE OF THE GOVERNMENT YOU VOTED FOR~! INILAH BOLEHLAND. MALAYSIA BOLEH~~!!! CHEERS!

2010-05-12T11:56:00.000+08:00

The Day After April Fool

2010-04-02T23:45:00.000+08:00

Yo guys... The day after April Fool is my dear brother's birthday!

It was a simple but warm and wonderful celebration at Smoky Jack Upper Penang Road.

Thanks to his beloved wife's preparations to make sure everything was done accordingly just in time. Check out those pictures and also thanks to our beautiful friend beautiful Shirlys who sponsored a cake from Sun Delight Bakery. Happy Birthday once again bro tengs, may you live lovingly happily ever after with your wife!

Justice~~!

2010-03-19T12:30:00.000+08:00

I really hope that there will be justice for this young man, his saddened family, his widow and his son. He died a horrible death, the inquests had been on and on, with different comments on how he died. But... I really hope they will find the truth and we will know the truth although it may seem impossible as our Bolehland is known for its kangaroo court. LOL~~

The Merseyside Derby

2010-02-06T23:37:00.001+08:00

It was a very very heated derby, so much that as a LFC supporter it means alot to me too. The final score was what matters, and fortunately it brought smile to the Reds than the Toffees. 2 red cards flashed, one single goal, a heated afternoon. No MATTER you are RED or BLUE, everyone enjoyed the match!

Reds visit Alder Hey

2009-12-23T21:36:00.000+08:00

Liverpool's first-team squad took time out of their festive preparations to bring some Christmas cheer to the patients at Alder Hey Children's Hospital on Tuesday afternoon.

As ever, the players, along with boss Rafa Benitez and assistant Sammy Lee, were eager to make their annual visit to the local hospital.

And their arrival was certainly cause for delight on the wards as the Reds donned their Santa hats to hand out presents to kids, who are sadly facing up to the prospect of spending Christmas in hospital.

After being split up into groups, the players and staff made their way around the wards, delivering presents, posing for photographs, signing autographs and chatting to the children and their families.

While it may have been a day of excitement for the kids, it was one a poignant one for the players and staff.

Benitez told Liverpoolfc.tv: "We visited the children and the families and tried to give them some encouragement.

"I think it's important at this time of year, not just for the children but also for the families. It gives them a chance to meet some of their idols and is good for them.

"The players know how much this means to the children. To see their idols when they are in a bad moment gives them a lift, and that is very positive.

"There are some who are Evertonians, but it doesn't matter at the end of the day and they are still really happy and pleased to see us.

"It is really good for us to make this visit."

Goalkeeper Pepe Reina added: "It makes you realise how lucky you are and it's nice to make people happy. It means a lot to us.

"Sometimes we don't know what we have, and there are some people who are much worse off than us.

"It's always good to see a much needed smile on the children's faces, and also the families'. It's the minimum we can do."

Our photographer was with the players to snap the Liverpool stars bringing Christmas cheer to the hospital wards.

Degen, Martin. Insua. Krygiakos. Torres. Cavelieri

Torres and a kid

Insua

El Nino

El Nino again!

Aquilani, El Zhar, Babel, Carra

Ngog. Skrtel, Plessis. Johnson, Kuyt

Johnson and Kuyt

Stevie Gerrard!

3 girls, 2 guys, 1 Bukit Merah

2009-12-03T12:24:00.000+08:00

This trip was planned by the Khoo couple, and it took us not long to gather 5 people to board a car and.... OFF we go to Bukit Merah! On the way,we stopped by McDonald's Autocity to have our brunch, and continued our wonderful journey. We reached approximately at 2pm and here the fun starts! It was fun and also exhausting for me, because its been so long since I played sports, we also had the delicious sandwiches prepared by the Khoo couple. When we reached Penang, we had dinner at Apex with our new guest** and when back home after-wards feeling happy!

the girls

the place

the people

3 girls and 2 guys

the Khoo couple and I

after the game

snap!

with their float

the 5ives

Western Food and Coffee Island

2009-11-18T22:28:00.004+08:00

the khoo couple

blur me

the girls

from left : choonyann, irenes, beautiful girl from johor, beautiful chia huey

go go go phooiwen and beautiful girl from johor

go go go phooiwen and beautiful chia huey

the trio

Happy Birthday Baby Jon!

2009-11-15T23:13:00.001+08:00

Happy Birthday Baby Jon! Well, I had a headache on Saturday because I was invited to 3 different parties that fell on the same time, one in Bagan Jermal, one is Bayan Baru and another in Datuk Keramat. In the end I ended up in Baby Jon's party in Lil Cottage. It was fun, with many old mates there, and our Arsenal fan friend Tits came back all the way from KL. After the party, we headed down to Mois for awhile till past midnight. I knew Baby Jon when I was F3 as we were in the same class, although he was shorter than me but he sat behind me. Haha. Anyway Happy Birthday Baby! yo yo yo!

the cake

his car

earnest, baby jon, abang ewens, sister irenes

friends

tits, his sister and also baby jon's gf, baby, khoo couple and I

the Tye family

the in-law family

the birthday boy and gf

the gang

the khoo couple

the guys

us, with Pia...

Redbox

2009-11-03T22:06:00.000+08:00

It is a beautiful day, and after my Inti friends finish all their exams, they wanted to go to Redbox and sing so I just followed. It was quite fun, as usual outing.

the girls

choon yann and zhen lynn

saya

me and beautiful chia huey

irene and beautiful chia huey

Oktoberfest 2009

2009-10-31T23:11:00.000+08:00

Oktoberfest is a sixteen-day festival held each year in Munich, Germany during late September and running to early October. It is also one of the most famous events in Germany and also world’s largest fair, approximately 6 million people attending every year, and is also an important part of Bavarian culture.

Here in Penang, Malaysian German Society also organized their Oktoberfest for the 37^th time. More than 1200 visitors came to this festival last year making Oktoberfest Penang the biggest Oktoberfest in Malaysia! As a student and member of the MGS ( Malaysian German Society ), I was fortunate to be part of this event this year as a volunteer helping. I was given the task to sell Würstel (sausages) and fruit punch with Michael, Thomas, Preston, Ken Joo, Chooi San and Eddy, but most of my time spend was cutting the bread! LOL!

Original hearty German food such as Hendl ( chicken), Würstel, along with brezel (Prezel), Knödeln ( potato or bread dumplings ) and lots lots more were provided! There was also Lebkuchenherzen / Gingerbread Hearts (an Oktoberfest treat ) as well. This sweet is a MUST in any German fair and is also in Penang.

As usual there were big tents to host the crowd with German music and also lots of entertainment just like being practiced in Munich. There was the beer drinking competition for Men and Ladies, arm wrestling competition, beer mug carrying competition and etc. Once in awhile music will be played and people will carry their mugs in their hands and cheer together as a whole, making the atmosphere even better. There were also game stalls set up by B.Braun and Robert Bosch for entertainment too. As a volunteer, what I get was free food, free Oktoberfest Tee and also free drinks! Why free? Cause the stall beside me was selling red and white wine while the stall after the wine stall is the main supplier stall for Tiger beer! LOL! In the end, what happened to the stall after 11pm was, one went up the stage dancing, one dancing below the stage, one was carried out to her dad’s car cause she was drunk, two taking their beer mug around asking people to drink, one smoking his cigar asking people to drink fruit punch and another sitting down drinking and gossiping!

Great night, beautiful girls, delicious food, free flow of drinks (for volunteers only hehe) and great people!

“ Ein Prosit der Gemuetlichkeit ”

our emcee of the night

MGS president Karl Ebinger

beer drinking competition of man

here comes the ladies turn

arm wrestling competition, the one in Manchester United jersey lost! Glory Glory wert?

the beer mug carrying competition

paulaner is always a must!

lambshank

lai arrgghhhhhh

dance floor

the place

beer mug spectacles

sudah mabuk sikit ni ang mo

cute German kids

dancing around

dancing around with Oktoberfest 'beer-mug hats'

hired dancers

cheers!

working in P.Mall

2009-10-26T21:19:00.000+08:00

Its been some time since I've last update. well speaking of the past 2 days of working in Prangin Mall, that feeling is just so creepy! ITS BEEN SO LONGGGGG......that I've ever work for a fair at prangin mall, tryin to be STRONGGGG,but the strenght i have is washing away, Won't be LONGGGG, and I will be very happy when i PANG KANGGGGG....

Anyhow its so good to be back, having that kinda experience working for prangin mall again, i gotta admit that i had a strange feeling about that mall with the customers inside. Taking about customers, sometimes you could even see a girl with white skirt wearing a G-String or thong walking around watching their asses moving left and right up and down, having the mindset that wearing G-Strings or thongs can reduce ''panty lines'' when wearing tight fitting trousers but OMG that's a skirt! Sometimes you could even see some people with ragged clothes with a toothpick in their mouth baring 1/4 of their mouth open and you could see something shinning, that unique spark coming from their artificial teeth more or less practicing the outdated hippie culture. They dresses like Tarzan, hair like Jane and smells like a cheetah. Sometimes you could see tourists that didn't wear their brassieres having their pokey nipples poke out into sight, worse is some consists of old ''matures'', and their breasts are lagging downwards sucked by gravity. Some huge amateurs exposing their mickey mouse tattoos on their oily fat skin that looks like some kinda interracial wannabe. THAT is Prangin Mall.

I happened to work to help my boss so its good to be back. Somehow I encountered some terrifying and horrible customers which I hope I would never have them in my sight anymore. One look like V for Vendetta, I guess he is a Malay, keep his hair very long, trim his eyebrows to very thin, had a mustache and beard like that creepy Vendetta thingie, worse is he can't speak proper English or French and he dyed his hair gold! He came along with an Indian with a ear ring on his left, and they both look GAY. Some gays are okay, some are very low profile, some are successful(i'm referring to Jay Manuel of America's Next Top Model), but some sucks! THIS ONE DEFINITELY SUCKS.

Next was a customer that look like CORPSE BRIDE! The moment I saw her, and her teeth bulging out from her upper lips, I thought I met a ghost that came alive. At first was a dad with 2 daughters coming to take a look, from their looks they look proper and they seem to be interested and the dad wanted to find glasses for her daughter, somehow the dad asked his wife(corpse bride) to come and take a look. I had a short conversation with this couple and it goes like this :

Dad : These..erm...branded ar? Ei, wheres it..(checking out the brand).. Wheres it made from? Dear(referring to his wife the corpse bride)..what do you think of this?
Wife : Yea, it looks okay only, why selling so cheap? OH..erm.. wheres it made? China? Branded ar?
Earnest : Oh these are what we say normal brands, everything sold in the market has a brand or a name that indicates a product right?
Dad : then where is it made from? China? (insulting)
Earnest : yes mister, do you find Europe made selling this cheap? then if you can get it then it must be stolen products or aritficial ones...
Wife : Oh...NO BRAND one laaaa..no wonder SO CHEAP...
Earnest : Of course miss, this is Prangin Mall, You know prangin mall right? what kind of shoppers are the majority. Doing business sometimes must use our brain too. We can sell branded and even niche market products(I've sold that kinda brands for past few years), but no one will or only few will buys from us.

And then, the family walked away.

The husband wears Brooks sport shoes, the wife holds a normal Guess handbag. the heels are not even Jimmy Choos.. the watch looks common I didn't even mind to notice, and they act like they are some kind of arrogant richtards. Since they are that rich, then wear something and carry something that signifies your riches, why carry a handbag brand that when during promotion discount Malays rushed like they came out from a blue hell to grabbed that bags that don't have much worth and somehow have to pay by installment at times to purchase such brand. BRANDED eh... she is soooo BRANDED. and her face looks like a corpse bride, I don't know whether of she had an accident and re-do her face with plastic surgery or whatever..she talks without using her brain and angers me as if I'm gonna shine it up real nice, turn it sideways and stuff it into her smelly candy ass! I don't even know how her husband chose her or fall in love with her, and I even felt interested how would it be like when her husband had sexual intercourse with her?! She looks horrible! I don't know how her husband takes her down in bed, cause i bet she looks ugly and doesn't know her roles, and when she ask her husband how then her husband will answer her KNOW YOUR ROLE AND SHUT YOUR MOUTH she looks SO ugly. And then his corpse bride wifey will shout back RIDE ME HARDER YOU IDIOT DO YOU KNOW WHERES MY PUSSY YOU FxxxIN JABRONI?!

Once in awhile, meeting these kind of weird people is a pleasure, you get to see many many different kinds of people in Penang, the beautiful island that I lived in. I LURVE PENANG!

Nice Video

2009-10-22T15:02:00.000+08:00

RISING FROM THE ASHES : 10 ways to save Liverpool's season

2009-10-21T17:56:00.000+08:00

I actually think Liverpool can still put in a title challenge, but only if certain changes are made and previous mistakes are not repeated.

What follows is merely my opinion. Actually, that's not completely true - I am sure there are tens of thousands of Liverpool fans who think the same way as me. My views on this issue are not unique; it's just common sense really.

1. Play 'aces in their places'
No more square pegs in round holes: That means no more left backs playing in central midfield and no more attacking midfielders playing in defensive-midfield roles (i.e. Lucas). Play the best available team for every game and use the players in their best/most effective positions.

2. Move Gerrard to central-midfield whilst Aquilani settles in.
Whilst Alberto Aquilani is settling-into the side and finding his feet, Gerrard should be moved into central-midfield to play alongside Javier Mascherano. I've explained why Gerrard should move to CM in previous articles so no need to repeat myself here.

Given Aquilani's injury history, plunging him into the hustle and bustle of midfield - a position where injuries are prevalent - may not be the best idea in the short-term. Let him play further ahead for a few games and protect him a little.

And we shouldn't forget that this is the Premiership, home of hackers and 'physical' football. I have no doubt there will be hatchet-men on certain teams just waiting to have a go at Aquilani, knowing that if he gets injured again, Liverpool will be plunged into further problems.

Another thing to take into consideration is Gerrard and Mascherano are used to each other; Aquilani/Mascherano is an untested partnership. Given the team's current predicament, perhaps it is best to play fmailair partnerships in a bid to halt the current slide.

Aquilani is renowned for his passing ability and ling-range shooting prowess - playing slightly ahead of Gerrard could allow him to utilise his skills in an area of the pitch that is arguably less pressurises than central midfield.

What we (surely) don't want to see is Aquilani being forced into a defensive tackling game right at the start of his Liverpool career, especially upon a return from a long-term injury.

So - I see the best team/formation for Liverpool over the next few weeks as:

--------------------------------- Reina

Johnson --------------- Carra ------ Skrtel/Agger ------------ Aurelio

---------------------------- Mascherano

----------------------------------------------- Gerrard

Kuyt -------------- ----------- Aquilani ------------------- Benayoun

-------------------------------- Torres

And once Aquilani has settled-in, Liverpool's starting formation line-up for most games should - injuries permitting - be:

--------------------------------- Reina

Johnson --------------- Carra ------ Skrtel/Agger ------------ Aurelio

---------------------------- Mascherano

----------------------------------------------- Aquilani

Kuyt ------------------------- Gerrard ------------------- Benayoun

-------------------------------- Torres

This leads on to the next point:

3. Allow Gerrard and Aquilani to alternate.
Once Aquilani is settled in the Premiership, he would move back into midfield, but in the short term, there's nothing stopping Gerrard and Aquilani alternating positions, is there? This would add a level of unpredictability to Liverpool's currently predictable pattern of play.

4. Use Lucas...differently.
Lucas is not a defensive/holding midfielder, and playing him as one is a waste of his talents. Ideally, he should be playing further up the field where he can creatively influence play.

With Aquilani and Gerrard in the team, this will be a little more difficult. As promising as Lucas is, I just don't see room for him as a starter in the team if Aquilani stays fit. if it was down to me, I would do the following:

Against the best defences:

i) Aquilani + Gerrard.
ii) If Aquilani doesn't start - Gerrard in CM. Benayoun behind Torres.
iii) WHAT BENITEZ WOULD DO - Aquilani/Lucas in CM. Gerrard behind Torres. Benyoun/Riera on the left.

Against weaker defences:

i) Aquilani + Gerrard.
ii) If Aquilani is rested/doesn't start - Gerrard in CM. Benayoun behind Torres.
iii) WHAT BENITEZ WOULD DO - Lucas in CM. Gerrard behind Torres. Benayoun on the left.

Liverpool have to always start their available best TEAM, which for me is:

--------------------------------- Reina

Johnson --------------- Carra ------ Agger ------------ Aurelio

---------------------------- Mascherano

----------------------------------------------- Aquilani

Kuyt -------------- ----------- Gerrard ------------------- Benayoun

-------------------------------- Torres

Having said that, I would not mind seeing the following team either:

--------------------------------- Reina

Johnson --------------- Carra ------ Agger ------------ Aurelio

---------------------------- Gerrard

----------------------------------------------- Aquilani

Kuyt -------------- ----------- Benayoun ------------------- Riera

-------------------------------- Torres

Lucas has to become a squad player.

5. Stick with a settled formation.
No more 343 formations! Stick to formations the team is comfortable with, i.e. 4231 or 442. Rightly or wrongly, those are two formations played most under Benitez. The team is used to them and functions better within those formations. So stop changing them! If injuries occurr, we have the players to keep those formations going.

6. Stick with a settled defence.
Liverpool's defensive problems are well documented this season, but nothing is going to improve unless there is stability at the heart of defence. Choose a first choice partnership and stick with it. If that's going to be Carra - Agger then let them play together every game and build up a rapport/understanding. Don't change it unless there is a serious drop of form/someone needs to be rested.

The same principle applies to the full-backs: Choose a left back and stick with it! Give the chosen defensive unit time to gel and grow together without constant changes. Of course, form dictates selection, but showing confidence in the defence will, in my view, lead to increasingly confident performances.

7. Stop making substitutions too late
If something isn't working, adapt earlier. Don't wait until the 70th/80th minute to try and change things. Also, stop making defensive/illogical substitutions. Example: Gerrard went off against Lyon; Benitez brought on Aurelio. Why not bring on Riera or Babel? Why not make a positive change instead of a defensive one? It was a home game - what did Liverpool have to fear?! Another example: benyoun being take off against Lyon with 5 minutes to go. WHY? Completely unnecessary.

8. Use Ryan Babel on the right
Whenever Babel plays, he should play on the right wing. How many times do we have to endure Babel on the left wing before Benitez realises it is not his position?! Babel has played well on the right on the rare occasions he's played there, so play to his STRENGTHS not his WEAKNESSES.

Dirk Kut should not be undroppable; if he is having a bad game, replace him with Babel.

9. Start displaying a winning mentality
Players and the manager should stop talking about 'lack of confidence' in the press. This is not a positive thing for anyone and is not conducive to a winning mentality. Examples:

Benitez after Sunderland:

"I think at times we lacked shape and the confidence of the players in these new positions wasn’t great".

Fabio Aurelio:

"Football is mostly confidence. If the team is winning you have lots and players try different things and you know that things will happen in your favour. At the moment, that's not happening."

As Bill Shankly said:

"A lot of football success is in the mind. You must believe you are the best and then make sure that you are".

That doesn't mean going around and boasting that you're the best - it means cultivating a steely determination and unshakeable self-belief, both individually and collectively. Are Liverpool players displaying this on and off the pitch at the moment? I would argue no.

10. No more criticising players in public
This is self-explanatory. Keep criticism behind closed doors and present a united front.

If Liverpool beat United on Sunday it could be the launch pad for a positive run that could take the club close to the title again. I'll admit, it seems unlikely, but as I argued earlier in the week, it has been done before. And going on the club's previous history, the title is definitely still a possibility.

EXAMPLE:

Current points total: 15
Current number of games won: 5
No of games won per season under Benitez:

04-05: 17
05-06: 25
06-07: 20
07-08: 21
08-09: 25

Average: 22

Games left to play: 29
Winning PL points totals over the last 10 years:

00-01: 80
01-02: 87
02-03: 83
03-04: 90
04-05: 92
05-06: 91
06-07: 89
07-08: 87
08-09: 90

POSSIBLE SCENARIOS FOR REMAINING 29 GAMES
* Win 20/draw 6/lose 3 - FINAL POINTS TOTAL: 81
* Win 20/draw 8/lose 1 - FINAL POINTS TOTAL: 83
* Win 20/draw 9 - FINAL POINTS TOTAL: 84
* Win 22/draw 5/lose 2 - FINAL POINTS TOTAL: 86
* Win 22/draw 7 - FINAL POINTS TOTAL: 88
* Win 23/draw 6 - FINAL POINTS TOTAL: 90

Liverpool finished on 86 points last season, thus none of the above eventualities are beyond the realm of possibility. We should see the season as a whole: It's mostly the case that top teams lose games at different points in the season. Perhaps Liverpool have just lost all their games in one block instead of having the losses spread out over 9 months...?
if the simple things are done correctly and mistakes are no longer made, I can see Liverpool going on a long, positive run.

If the same mistakes continue to be made, this season will be over sooner rather than later.

11 reasons why Liverpool FC is struggling this season

2009-10-20T11:47:00.000+08:00

Liverpool’s crushing defeats to Sunderland and Lyon are undoubtedly devastating blows to the club’s trophy ambitions. Clearly, the recurring problems that have plagued Liverpool under Rafa Benitez are wreaking havoc once again. As such, if the club is to recover and salvage something from this campaign, it is imperative that important changes are made NOW.

The poor start to the season has nothing to do with fan-favourite excuses like lack of money; the influence of Hicks and Gillett or injuries - Benitez has simply failed to utilise the players he has in the most effective way possible.

I have argued all of these points in various articles, but here are the reasons (as I see it) that Liverpool have failed so far this season:

1. Failure to IMMEDIATELY replace Xabi Alonso

Liverpool needed to have someone of comparable quality in Alonso's position from DAY ONE of the season. When a hugely influential player like that leaves, there needs to be some semblance of continuity. There are positive examples of this from Liverpool's own history: Kevin Keegan left; we got Kenny Dalglish. Ian Rush left; we got John Aldridge.

Alonso's departure did not come out of the blue; after Benitez's attempts to offload him in 2008, the possibility that he might leave was always on the cards. The club did not react quickly enough, and Liverpool has suffered, mainly because the team is missing the impact and influence of a star player.

To be clear: if someone of comparable quality HAD been available from day one of the season then Alonso's absence would, in all probability, not have been so keenly felt.

2. Signing an injured FIRST TEAM player.

I do not dispute that Alberto Aquilani is a good player but it was absolutely fatal to sign him as Alonso's potential replacement. Two and a half months into the season and he has STILL not made his debut.

In the intervening time, Liverpool has lost 6 of the first 12 games in all competitions. If Aquilani (or someone else) had been available from Day one, the team would've benefited from having another top class player in the side, and there is every possibility things would not be looking so bleak right now.

3. Persisting with Lucas in midfield/Gerrard as the linkman

It is utter madness to play Lucas in midfield ahead of Steven Gerrard. Everyone can see this except Rafa Benitez. To compensate for Alonso's loss and Aquilani's recovery time, Benitez should have moved Gerrard back into midfield from the very first game of the season.

Starting the season with an untried, untested midfield partnership of Mascherano and Lucas was, quite frankly, bordering on negligence, especially when Mascherano and Gerrard have played together *effectively* many times in the past.

Opposing teams fear a midfield that contains Steven Gerrard; does Lucas instill the same sort of anxiety? No. As such, the psychological battle is lost before the game even begins.

With Gerrard playing deeper, Alonso's loss would be mitigated by the Liverpool captain's playmaking abilities, i.e:

1. Expansive passing range
2. Linking midfield with attack
3. Ability to retain possession
4. Ability to bring others into the game

All were/are staples of Alonso's game, now conspicuously absent from the heart of the team.

I have nothing against Lucas, but the only questions that need/needed to be asked here are:

i) Who is the better CM: Gerrard or Lucas?
ii) What is better for the TEAM: Lucas or Gerrard in CM?

The answer is obvious, and it is backed up by this season's results:

Lucas in CM = 6 defeats
Gerrard in link-man role = 5 defeats
Gerrard in CM role = 2 wins (Burnley + Hull: 10 goals scored by team) Note: In most other games, Gerrard has been moved BACK into CM at some stage. Why? Because he's needed there!

What happened last season and in the distant past is irrelevant; this is NOW, and Benitez surely has to adapt to what works NOW, and that is quite clearly Gerrard in Central midfield.

4. Defensive problems: A new unit
Liverpool's defensive unit has undergone serious change over the last few months: Sami Hyypia has left; Glen Johnson has arrived; Emiliano Insua has begun to play more regularly and Daniel Agger has been injured. Consequently, all the upheaval has caused problems, which have led to sloppy goals being given away.

Bedding-in two new fullbacks is always going to be difficult; Carra and Skrtel need to get used to playing with them, and the defensive unit as a whole has to get used to each other and build up an understanding.

The brutal truth is Johnson and Insua have a few defensive weaknesses, namely positioning and tracking back effectively. This has led to Carra/Skrtel being pulled out of position to cover for them, which leads to gaps at the back.

Add Carra and Skrtel each experiencing a loss of form, and it's a recipe for disaster.

5. Defensive problems: the loss of Sami Hyypia
I believe Liverpool's defensive problems go deeper than just point 4 - Sami is a massive loss:

i) His experience will be missing in training, which means players like Insua and Johnson will miss out on essential knowledge and defensive tips.

ii) Sami's organisational skills and calming influence on the pitch are also sorely needed. There are no vastly experienced heads on the field for Liverpool anymore, and that - for me - is a problem.

iii) Liverpool now lack an commanding heading presence at the back. The club has scrappers like Carra and Skrtel but no one who is amazing in the air. As Sami prove against Man United at Old Trafford last season, having someone imperious in the air is essential.

Benitez bought Sotiris Kyrgiakos, someone who could've perhaps taken up that mantle, but even before he was injured (And despite the implosion of our defence), Benitez never played him.

6. Failure to play aces in their places
As well as playing Gerrard alongside Mascherano, it is surely also important to play our best players in their best positions. Benitez has simply not done that this season. Benayoun has been played on the left; Riera has been regularly dropped (even when he wasn’t injured); Fabio Aurelio has been played in central midfield (!) ahead of Steven Gerrard.

Has any of this worked? No. When the team is struggling/missing players through injuries, Liverpool must:

i) play the best team available
ii) Use players in their best/most comfortable positions.

There is no time for experimentation or trying to prove a point. It is the manager's duty to utilise the playing assets of the club in a way that benefits the TEAM. Has Benitez done that this season, or has he been trying to prove a point about Lucas?

7. Favouritism
Whatever way you look at it, Rafa has his favourites, and no matter how badly they play they are never dropped. This season, it is Lucas and Kuyt who are undroppable. I have no problem with either player; Kuyt has developed into an important player for Liverpool; Lucas is developing and doing his best. However, they should NOT be undroppable!

Liverpool have lost 6 games this season; the likes of Benayoun, Riera, Babel and Mascherano have been regularly dropped, yet Lucas and Kuyt - who have played in all 6 defeats - remain a constant in the team.

This is not fair; players should be played on merit, and both Lucas and Kuyt have had bad games this season. Is it beyond the realm of possibility that one or both might benefit from taking a game out every now and again, esepcially if they playu badly? Why is there one rule for them and another one for other players?

8. The knock-on effect of signing sub-par and/or underperforming players
Liverpool's squad strength in depth is poor, and for that, Rafa Benitez has to take the blame. Look at the players from which Benitez has to choose: Lucas, Ryan Babel, Fabio Aurelio, Andrei Voronin, Damien Plessis, Philipp Degen, David N'gog, Andrea Dossena etc.

These are all Benitez signings, and are they making any consistent positive impact? Arguably no. Are they going to contribute to a title-winning side? Arguably no. Just imagine if Liverpool had better players than this to come in and make a difference.

Liverpool are basically suffering the knock on effects of two (arguably 3) poor transfer windows.

9. Odd/ineffective substitutions
When things are not going well for Liverpool, Benitez either:

i) Makes changes too late
ii) Makes an overly defensive change
iii) Makes the wrong change

Examples:

SPURS: Yossi Benayoun on for Babel (70): Too late to make a real difference. Yossi should've started.

FIORENTINA: Babel on for Insua (72): Too late

CHELSEA: Benayoun on for Riera (70): Why remove our only width?! Should've taken off Lucas, and much earlier

SUNDERLAND: Mascherano for Spearing (73): Why not make an attacking change and bring on Riera?

LYON: Voronin on for Benayoun (85): What is the point?! Why take off our main attacking threat WHEN WE NEED TO SCORE TO WIN?!

10. Use of unfamiliar formations
Prime example: the 3-4-3 against Sunderland.

WHY? Again, why not play aces in their places? Why subject the team to an unfamiliar formation, especially when the defensive unit is already struggling. Decisions like this make no sense.

11. Publicly criticising important players
This season already, Benitez has publicly criticised Gerrard, Torres and Carragher. His comments may have been correct, but given the fragile egos of modern players, highlighting their mistakes in public is not conducive to creating a motivated team!

Having said all of the above, I just want to reiterate the following:

1. I do NOT want Benitez sacked; I do NOT want him to resign. He should be given this season to turn things around, no matter how bad it gets. Changing manager mid-season is no good for anyone.

2. I do NOT think this season is over. I actually still think Liverpool could conceivably win the league (!), and I will be posting an article tomorrow explaining why I think that.

I am merely trying to point out what I perceive to be the main reasons Liverpool are struggling this season.

Raja Petra Kamarudin speaks of ISA and Solitary Confinement.

2009-10-16T22:49:00.000+08:00

Raja Petra Kamarudin, a well known blogger of Malaysia Today website, detained under the Internal Security Act on 12 September 2008 and was subsequently released 56 days later, was due to the habeas corpus filed by his lawyer citing unlawful detention by the Home Ministry. The High court, on 7 November 2008, over ruled that detention and he was set free on the same day.

In this video, Raja Petra Kamarudin speaks of ISA and Solitary Confinement.

Tokio Hotel

2009-10-12T23:04:00.000+08:00

Tokio Hotel was founded by vocalist Bill Kaulitz and guitarist Tom Kaulitz, who are identical twin brothers, drummer Gustav Schäfer and bass-guitarist Georg Listing. The four met in 2001 after a live show in a Magdeburg club, where Listing and Schäfer, who knew each other from music school, watched from the audience while Bill and Tom Kaulitz played on the stage. Under the name Devilish, the band soon began playing in talent shows and small concerts. After Bill Kaulitz's participation in a children's Star Search in 2003 at age thirteen (which he lost in the quarter-final), he was discovered by music producer Peter Hoffmann. Devilish changed their name to Tokio Hotel: "Tokio", the German spelling of the Japanese city Tokyo, due to a love of the city, and "Hotel" due to their constant touring and living in hotels. Soon after Sony BMG took them under contract, Hoffmann hired David Jost and Pat Benzner into the team of creators and authors, and had them give the teens instruction on songwriting and instrument playing; most of the songs of the first album were written by Hoffmann, Jost and Benzer (including the singles "Scream" and "Rescue me" which were completely written by them), only the single "Unendlichkeit" was written completely by Tokio Hotel themselves. However, shortly before release of their first album, Sony terminated their contract. In 2005, Universal Music Group took Tokio Hotel under contract and developed a marketing plan. The band has now become one of the biggest acts from Germany.

Tokio Hotel's genre definition is a matter of a debate. Frankfurter Rundschau article describes their music as "Straightforward pop-rock with catchy melodies and a well-calculated mix of "stolen" Metallica riffs and romantic ballad elements." "Lyrics laced with "emo" angst, wrapped in a flamboyant pop-rock package", says an ABC reviewer, mentioning that style "range from catchy pop anthems... to appealing rock ballads" from song to song. Tokio Hotel deliver "both yowling rockers and sentimental ballads", follows Rolling Stone.

Bill vs Tom

vocalist Bill Kaulitz

guitarist Tom Kaulitz

drummer Gustav Schäfer

bass-guitarist Georg Listing

Below is one of my favourite from Tokio Hotel, the name is Spring Nicht, in English means Don't Jump. There is also an English Version sang by Tokio Hotel. This song tells of the girl in the video wanting to end up her life, and the lyrics says that anything can be solved in a right way, although there are many obstacles and things are often put and shown in a deceiving way, don't end up life just like that, because nothing is impossible. Don't Jump. ...........don't let memories go of me and you...the world is down there out of view..Please, don't jump, don't jump...and if all that can't hold you back..Then I'll jump for you. . . . . . . . . . .

Über den Dächern
ist es so kalt
und so still
Ich schweig deinen Namen
weil Du ihn jetzt
nicht hören willst
Der Abgrund der Stadt
verschlingt jede
Träne die fällt
Da unten ist nichts mehr
was Dich hier oben
noch hält

Ich schrei in die Nacht für Dich
lass mich nicht im Stich
Spring nicht
Die Lichter fangen Dich nicht
sie betrügen Dich
Spring nicht
Erinner Dich
an Dich und mich
Die Welt da unten zählt nicht
Bitte spring nicht

In Deinen Augen
scheint alles sinnlos und leer
Der Schnee fällt einsam
Du spürst ihn schon lange nicht mehr
Irgendwo da draußen
bist Du verloren gegangen
Du träumst von dem Ende
und nochmal von vorn anzufangen

Ich schrei in die Nacht für Dich…

Ich weiss nicht wie lang
ich Dich halten kann
Ich weiss nicht wie lang

Nimm meine Hand
wir fangen nochmal an
Spring nicht

Ich schrei in die Nacht für Dich…

Spring nicht
Und hält Dich das auch nicht zurück
Dann spring ich für Dich

Seafood and Autocity

2009-10-10T23:39:00.000+08:00

A few days ago, Ewen smsed me to ask whether I would like to join him for seafood on Friday, however due to my German class on Friday night, I told him I couldn't make it. On Friday night, I online and was surprised to see them online, so I ask how was the seafood and did they enjoy it. They told me that they didn't go because I didn't go, I felt very guilty and at the same time doubt whether what they say was true or not. So I told them that I can get off for tomorrow night's work and follow them if they are going the following night. In the end due to simple and fast arrangements..........WE ATE CRABS AND PRAWNS N SEA-SNAILS N SEAFOOD?...lol!!!

It was a happy time, with beautiful Chia Huey, handsome and big cock Tze Wei, Choon Yann, the Khoo couples, and I. After seafood we headed to Autocity for food digestion because after eating the car became heavier and crampy. Tze Wei wanted to find something for his girlfriend so we shopped around before we went back.

Facebook Test

2009-10-09T18:32:00.000+08:00

Earnest took the quiz "The Brain Dominance Test" and got the result:
Balanced Brain: 14 Left-Brain Responses/ 16 Right Responses!

Of 30 questions, 14 of your responses indicate you are left brained dominant. 16 of your responses are indications of right brain dominance. These results indicate you have a balanced brain, with no tendency to think towards either side. Those who are middle-brain dominant tend to be more flexible than either the left or the right-brain folks; however, you often vacillate between the two hemispheres when you make decisions.

You sometimes get confused when decisions need to be made because, neurologically speaking, you could do most tasks through either a left-brain or a right-brain method! A balanced score means you are able to draw on the strengths of both the right and left hemispheres of your brain depending upon a given situation. This combination makes you a creative and flexible thinker.The down side to having a more "balanced brain" is that you may sometimes feel paralyzed by indecision when the two hemispheres of your brain are competing to solve a problem in their own unique ways. You may also find career choices difficult due to your proficiency in several different areas.

Mois

2009-10-03T14:20:00.002+08:00

Okay..I'm back with some fun news. It's Mois again people, and those people that were there with me are so cool. We had brother Tham and our chinese general Yangs back too! Tits was there and also Patrick. Theres also Javen the handsome backstreet boy, Liang Chieh, Dixon, abang Tengs and the girls. So many beautiful girls coming out after Inti Prom 2009, the club was full of beautiful faces. Okay I really need some sleep, afteral I was quite awake at the apartment just now. LOL!

Sharapova Wins

2009-10-03T02:28:00.000+08:00

Maria Sharapova won her first tournament since returning from a 10-month injury layoff when Jelena Jankovic retired because of an arm injury in the first set of the Toray Pan Pacific final Saturday. Sharapova was up 5-2 at Ariake Colosseum when the seventh-seeded Serb took a timeout to have her right arm examined by the trainer. Jankovic returned to the court and lost the first two points of the eighth game before retiring.

the beauty wins

Happy 21st Birthday Chung Chieh

2009-09-26T22:59:00.005+08:00

Tonight was the 21st birthday of my friend since Primary 3! He had his birthday held in Little Cottage and there were around 150 people that attended. Many old Chung Ling mates were there too!

Earns and Carter

the cake

Morven buat pattern

the guys

the birthday boy and family

the birthday boy and his girlfriend

wei dee

general meeting? or beer meeting? LOL

yves seah

Ling Chun always the best

KRS gang

Berlin Wall-A Brief History of the Iron Curtain that Divided a City

2009-09-25T23:00:00.003+08:00

The Berlin Wall was a physical barrier erected by the German Democratic Republic (GDR) (East Germany) completely encircling West Berlin, separating it from East Germany, including East Berlin. The longer inner German border demarcated the border between East and West Germany. Both borders came to symbolize the Iron Curtain between Western Europe and the Eastern Bloc.

Prior to the Wall's erection, 3.5 million East Germans had avoided Eastern Bloc emigration restrictions to escape into West Germany, many over the border between East and West Berlin. During its existence from 1961 to 1989, the Wall stopped almost all such emigration and separated East Germany from West Germany for more than a quarter of a century. The Wall included guard towers lining large concrete walls circumscribing a wide area (later known as the "death strip") containing anti-vehicle trenches, "fakir beds" and other defenses. After its erection, around 5,000 people attempted to escape circumventing the wall, with figures of the resulting death toll varying between 98 and 200.

During a revolutionary wave sweeping across the Eastern Bloc, the East German government announced on November 9, 1989, after several weeks of civil unrest, that all GDR citizens could visit West Germany and West Berlin. Crowds of East Germans climbed onto and crossed the wall, joined by West Germans on the other side in a celebratory atmosphere. Over the next few weeks, parts of the wall were chipped away by a euphoric public and by souvenir hunters; industrial equipment was later used to remove almost all of the rest. The fall of the Berlin Wall paved the way for German reunification, which was formally concluded on October 3, 1990.

After the end of World War II in Europe, what remained of Nazi Germany west of the Oder-Neisse line was divided into four occupation zones (per the Potsdam Agreement), each one controlled by one of the four occupying Allied powers: the Americans, British, French and the Soviet Union. The capital, Berlin, as the seat of the Allied Control Council, was similarly subdivided into four sectors despite the city lying deep inside the Soviet zone. Within two years, divisions occurred between the Soviets and the other occupying powers, including the Soviets' refusal to agree to reconstruction plans making post-war Germany self-sufficient and a detailed accounting of the industrial plants, goods infrastructure already removed by the Soviets.Britain, France, the United States and the Benelux countries later met to combine the non-Soviet zones of the country into one zone for reconstruction and approve the extension of the Marshall Plan for European reconstruction to Germany.

On August 23, 1989, Hungary removed its physical border defences with Austria, and in September more than 13,000 East German tourists in Hungary escaped to Austria. This set up a chain of events. The Hungarians prevented many more East Germans from crossing the border and returned them to Budapest. These East Germans flooded the West German embassy and refused to return to East Germany. The East German government responded by disallowing any further travel to Hungary, but allowed those already there to return. This triggered a similar incident in neighboring Czechoslovakia. On this occasion, the East German authorities allowed them to leave, providing that they used a train which transited East Germany on the way. This was followed by mass demonstrations within East Germany itself. (See Monday demonstrations in East Germany.) The longtime leader of East Germany, Erich Honecker, resigned on October 18, 1989, and was replaced by Egon Krenz a few days later. Honecker had predicted in January of that year that the wall would stand for a "hundred more years" if the conditions which had caused its construction did not change.

Protest demonstrations broke out all over East Germany in September 1989. Initially, they were of people wanting to leave to the West, chanting "Wir wollen raus!" ("We want out!"). Then protestors began to chant "Wir bleiben hier", ("We're staying here!"). This was the start of what East Germans generally call the "Peaceful Revolution" of late 1989. By November 4, the protests had swelled significantly, with a million people gathered that day in Alexanderplatz in East Berlin (Henslin, 07).

Meanwhile the wave of refugees leaving East Germany for the West had increased and had found its way through Czechoslovakia, tolerated by the new Krenz government and in agreement with the communist Czechoslovak government. To ease the complications, the politburo led by Krenz decided on November 9, to allow refugees to exit directly through crossing points between East Germany and West Germany, including West Berlin. On the same day, the ministerial administration modified the proposal to include private travel. The new regulations were to take effect on November 17, 1989. Günter Schabowski, the Party Secretary for Propaganda, had the task of announcing this; however he had been on vacation prior to this decision and had not been fully updated. Shortly before a press conference on November 9, he was handed a note that said that East Berliners would be allowed to cross the border with proper permission but given no further instructions on how to handle the information. These regulations had only been completed a few hours earlier and were to take effect the following day, so as to allow time to inform the border guards. However, nobody had informed Schabowski. He read the note out loud at the end of the conference and when asked when the regulations would come into effect, he assumed it would be the same day based on the wording of the note and replied "As far as I know effective immediately, without delay". After further questions from journalists he confirmed that the regulations included the border crossings towards West Berlin, which he had not mentioned until then.

Tens of thousands of East Berliners heard Schabowski's statement live on East German television and flooded the checkpoints in the Wall demanding entry into West Berlin. The surprised and overwhelmed border guards made many hectic telephone calls to their superiors, but it became clear that there was no one among the East German authorities who would dare to take personal responsibility for issuing orders to use lethal force, so there was no way for the vastly outnumbered soldiers to hold back the huge crowd of East German citizens. In face of the growing crowd, the guards finally yielded, opening the checkpoints and allowing people through with little or no identity checking. Ecstatic East Berliners were soon greeted by West Berliners on the other side in a celebratory atmosphere. November 9 is thus considered the date the Wall fell. In the days and weeks that followed, people came to the wall with sledgehammers to chip off souvenirs, demolishing lengthy parts of it in the process. These people were nicknamed "Mauerspechte" (wall woodpeckers).

The East German regime announced the opening of ten new border crossings the following weekend, including some in symbolic locations (Potsdamer Platz, Glienicker Brücke, Bernauer Straße). Crowds on both sides waited there for hours, cheering at the bulldozers who took parts of the Wall away to reinstate old roads. Photos and television footage of these events is sometimes mislabelled "dismantling of the Wall", even though it was merely the construction of new crossings. New border crossings continued to be opened through the middle of 1990, including the Brandenburg Gate on December 22, 1989.

West Germans and West Berliners were allowed visa-free travel starting December 23. Until then they could only visit East Germany and East Berlin under restrictive conditions that involved application for a visa several days or weeks in advance, and obligatory exchange of at least 25 DM per day of their planned stay, all of which hindered spontaneous visits. Thus, in the weeks between November 9 and December 23, East Germans could travel "more freely" than Westerners.

Technically the Wall remained guarded for some time after November 9, though at a decreasing intensity. In the first months, the East German military even tried to repair some of the damages done by the "wall peckers". Gradually these attempts ceased, and guards became more lax, tolerating the increasing demolitions and "unauthorized" border crossing through the holes. On June 13, 1990, the official dismantling of the Wall by the East German military began in Bernauer Straße. On July 1, the day East Germany adopted the West German currency, all border controls ceased, although the inter-German border had become meaningless for some time before that. The dismantling continued to be carried out by military units (after unification under the Bundeswehr) and lasted until November 1991. Only a few short sections and watchtowers were left standing as memorials.

The fall of the Wall was the first step toward German reunification, which was formally concluded on October 3, 1990.

Just now in class, we where shared by Mr. Michael Moeller about the history of the incident, with a few German families sharing also their experiences too. This talk was held in conjunction with the anniversary of the demolition of the wall. Below is a video about the brief history of the iron curtain that divided a city.

To Arthur !

2009-09-24T23:59:00.000+08:00

Guinness celebrates its 250th anniversary today, and although the Irish don't really need an excuse to raise a glass.

Guinness is a popular dry stout beer that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness (1725–1803) at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is based on the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide.

To ARTHUR !!!

21

2009-09-19T23:32:00.006+08:00

Finally, its my birthday! This year was still almost the same usual way, but this time I celebrated my birthday with 3 different groups. 1st was with my German classmates at Malaysian German Society, 2nd was with my family and finally was with my dear friends ( Sierras, Tits, baby Jons, looims, brother Khoo Tengs and sister Liew Irenes, and Jim Foos ) at Mois. Thanks to those that celebrated with me ( espescialy abang Khoo Tengs although u had some difficult situations to deal with on that night but you still managed to show up thank you so much), and to those friends that called me up and wished me thank you so much. I was so surprise some friends which I didn’t contact with for quite some time called me up too. To those that wished me in Facebook, smses and so on I just wanna say a big thank you to you people.

Like my father's come to pass, 20 years has gone so fast, wake me up when September ends.

Happy Birthday Tits!!!

2009-09-15T11:08:00.002+08:00

Happy Birthday to my friend and my Form 4 class goalkeeper! Its always a pleasure as a right-back to play alongside him because he has a pair of save hands. Happy Birthday to you Soon Chye Tits!!!!!!!!!!! hohoho!

Kai Yan is back!

2009-09-05T21:23:00.000+08:00

From Left : Kai Yan, Puan Hui Ping, Me and Tau Kua

Kai Yan is back! I met up with him after he wanted to meet the whole gang, however all are studying overseas leaving me and Tau Kua both person available for him to meet up with. Anyhow it was fun and just like old times we talk and talk till it was almost dinner. Take care pal and see you again!

Happy Birthday Yi Chin!

2009-09-05T13:04:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday to my friend and my Jelutong head Chuah Yi Chin aka Tau Kua! Good luck and all the best!

Alex Ferguson the Whisky Bottlehead nose

2009-08-22T18:49:00.000+08:00

Who would have thought it? Alex Ferguson verbally attacks another manager for their arrogant behaviour, only to go and do exactly the same thing himself. His latest mumblings really are "beyond the pale."

But the Scotsman's latest verbal attack, or mind games as some would try to make you believe, is nothing new. It is old and irritating—much like Ferguson himself.

Normally, the United manager would leave his "mind games" until the tail-end of the season hoping to derail his rival's title charge, or before another team's crucial games. But it seems he just couldn't wait that long before getting out his famous little book of hypocrisies, and his smug little grin that smacks of a disturbed old man, lost in his own delusions of grandeur.

If you speak to a few less-than-intelligent United or Everton supporters about Rafa Benitez, amongst other rabid ramblings, they will be quick to tell you how arrogant the Spaniard is. They will harp on about an incident from a couple of seasons ago where Rafa claimed Everton was a "small club."

Notice how I used quotation marks when I wrote "small club."

Quotation marks, as you undoubtedly know, are used when a person says the exact words mentioned within the quotation marks. So, if you had not read the orginal quote from Rafa Benitez, you would rightly assume that he said the words "small club" when talking about Everton.

Read a few headlines or articles from national newspaper about the "small club" incident, and you get the same intentionally misleading paraphrasing and misquotation that you get from idiotic football supporters, reveling in their ingrained hatred that has been passed down from previous generations.

Arrogant Liverpool manager calls Everton a "small club."

What Benitez actually said was: "When you play against the smaller teams at Anfield you know the game will be narrow and compact and at times we were a little bit nervous."

No mention of the word "club" and no mention of the word "small" either.

If you listen to Ferguson's moans about Benitez and the incident, without hearing the actual quote from the Liverpool manager beforehand, you would be forgiven for thinking Benitez really did say what many are trying hard to make out.

Ferguson confidently states: “Benítez called Everton a small club, which just points to his arrogance," as well as "'Everton are a big club, not a small one which Benitez arrogantly said," (this quote came two years after the original "small club" incident).

This brings us nicely back to the subject at hand.

Manchester City have constructed a sky-blue billboard with the words "Welcome to Manchester" under a picture of their new signing, Carlos Tevez. Many have read into this as being a subtle dig at United, and Ferguson's response to this was to say: "It's City isn't it? They are a small club with a small mentality, all they can talk about is Manchester United."

Manchester City have won the FA Cup four times, the League Cup twice, and the top flight English title on two occasions.

City are without doubt, in terms of honours, a smaller club that Manchester United. But to state that city is a small club can be considered quite arrogant and a touch disrespectful, surely?

If Ferguson is going to tell the world and his wife how "arrogant" Benitez is for saying Everton is a smaller team than Liverpool, then calling City a small club, according to Ferguson's very own moral standards, must be ridiculously worse than what Benitez actually said.

But for me, the disturbing thing is not the senile "mind games" of an old man paraded as an angel, but the way some United supporters consistently jump to Ferguson's defence and incredibly ignore any form of hypocrisy that pours from his mouth.

I love football. I am a massive supporter of football.

I think Manchester United are one of the biggest clubs in the world and last season they had one of the best squads ever constructed in English football. They play some sublime football and a major contributing factor is the intelligence and ability of their manager of 23 years, Alex Ferguson.

But I still hate the man.

Not because I'm jealous. Not because I'm biased. Certainly not because I support Liverpool. But because these are the type of people I despise in everyday life. The arrogant people who appear to believe they don't have to follow the rules of decency, and rules the rest of society is expected to adhere to.

I would lay my house down, if those same blind and in-group bias-led United supporters—who ignore the contradictions and hypocrisy that would make many other club's supporters whince—were to have Alex Ferguson as their employer or school teacher, I'm pretty certain their attitude towards his arrogant and contradictive behaviour would be considerably different.

But whilst he is leading the club to success after success, it's easy for some to just turn a blind eye.

It's even easier for those who know the score when it comes to the "great" man and his "mind games," and are happily, and intentionally, backing the manager for the sake of a pathetic football rivalry.

Welcome to Anfield AA!

2009-08-07T22:00:00.001+08:00

Liverpool FC confirmed this evening that Alberto Aquilani has successfully completed a medical and agreed a five-year contract with the club. The player will now continue his rehabilitation from an ankle operation under the guidance of Liverpool's medical team and is expected to be fully fit in approximately four to eight weeks' time

Having passed a medical and agreed a contract with Liverpool, here are ten things you need to know about Alberto Aquilani.

Alberto is a Roman centurion, having made 147 appearances for the club he has supported since he was a boy. He celebrated his 100th game for Roma in style, scoring a 35-yard screamer in a 2-0 victory at Palermo in the opener of the 2007-08 campaign.

The Roma fans nicknamed their hometown hero 'Il Principino' or 'the little prince'.

England boss Fabio Capello was in the hot seat at Roma when Aquilani took his Serie A bow, aged just 18, in a 3-1 victory against Torino on 10 May 2003.

Roma were runners-up in Serie A on four occasions while Aquilani was at the club, but they won the Coppa Italia twice and the Supercoppa Italiana once with him on the books.

The new Kop star was so nearly the hero in the 2006 final of the Supercoppa Italiana, bossing the first half and scoring two well-worked team goals before his side somehow threw away their 3-0 lead and lost a classic encounter 4-3 to Inter Milan.
Aquilani will become the third Italian player to represent Liverpool under Rafa Benitez. As well as current Reds full-back Andrea Dossena, goalkeeper Daniele Padelli made one start in a 2-2 draw against Charlton in May 2007 during a six-month loan spell.

Alberto has tasted Champions League action for Roma against Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United, but he was not involved when his former club slumped to a heavy 7-1 defeat at Old Trafford on 10 April 2007.

As well as boasting 20 caps and five goals for Italy U-21s, Alberto has represented the senior Italian side 11 times. He scored a brace for his country in a World Cup 2010 qualifier against Montenegro on 15 October 2008. Speaking about the game, Aquilani said: "I couldn't ask for anything more. It was the most beautiful night of my life."

Alberto is engaged to 20-year-old Italian actress Michela Quattrociocche, who shot to fame following the success of her 2008 debut film 'Scusa Ma Ti Chiamo Amore' ('Sorry If I Love You').

Born on 7 July 1984, 25-year-old Alberto shares his birthday with former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr. Liverpool's new recruit will be hoping that - with a little help from his friends - he will soon be bringing more silverware to Anfield.

Bye Xabi

2009-08-03T13:16:00.000+08:00

Abang Teng's wanted you to stay but you insisted to move. Goodbye and enjoy yourself in Spain.