Friday, May 16, 2008

Why Is Peter Crouch So Expensive?

Rafa Benitez, the Liverpool manager, who plays Peter Crouch sparingly has slapped a price tag of £15million on him. Peter who is seeking for first team football may want to ply his trade elsewhere if he was guaranteed first team football (presumably in the Premier League as well).

Football club managers who have an eye on Peter were shocked with the value placed by Liverpool. Since Rafa doesn't need him badly, why wouldn't a manager offload him cheaply and off the payroll as well.

There's definitely a reason for it ....................
Reading: Benitez slaps £15million price tag on Crouch - Soccernet
Reggie Lee's drawing sourced from today's Star Football pullout
Tags: Football, Soccer, English Premier League, Peter Crouch, Rafa Benitez, Liverpool, Football Club Manager, Reggie Lee

Boycotting the Malaysian Newspapers

The People's Alliance or Pakatan Rakyat (in Malay language) who is ruling 5+1 states in Malaysia is calling for an immediate boycott of two national newspapers.

The Council of Chief Ministers of the five states are calling the Malaysian citizens to start a boycott of Utusan Malaysia and Mingguan Malaysia (Sunday edition of Utusan Malaysia) of which both are Malay medium.

Reasons for the boycott:-
* the newspapers went overboard and unprofessional including bias reporting and continued to paint a different picture of the actual situation of happenings in each of the five states and also against the People's Alliance

* purposely highlight and continued to 'explode' issues in order to incite Malaysian citizens' anger against the five states and the opposisiton political parties and for trying to raise sensitive racial issues

With the above reasons, the Council is requesting all departments and institutions in the five states being ruled by the People's Alliance to stop buying this two newspapers and stop all advertising arrangements too.
Tags: Boycott, People's Alliance, Pakatan Rakyat, Utusan Malaysia, Mingguan Malaysia, Malaysia

Show I/C To Pump Subsidised Petrol

Malaysia may just implement this step of showing your Identity Card (I/C) in order to obtain benefit for local Malaysians only when pumping petrol in view of the drastic price increase for the crude oil. The price for petrol will be sold at market rate and Malaysians who showed their I/C will be paying at the subsidised price.

Malaysians who have forgotten to bring their I/C when pumping petrol at petrol stations will be required to pay for petrol at market rate.

The subsidised and market rates have not been announced and neither is this idea which has been floated.

I really wonder how is the petrol pump going to identify who is a local Malaysian and who is a foreigner. Maybe an attendance(s) will be running around all pumps to key in certain codes prior to us swiping our credit card. Or all payments must be made at the cashier's counter instead but what about midnight when the cashier's counter is closed.

Now, the government is assuming that all foreigners are rich fellas and they could afford the market price petrol. The Indonesians that owned motorcycles will be crying when they see the new price for their petrol. Hmmmmmmm maybe they could circumvent the ruling by bringing along a Malaysian friend each time they pump petrol. The Malaysian friend will need to show their I/C in order to get the subsidised petrol price. That will work but it defeats the purpose then.

To implement it strictly, the Malaysian that shows the I/C must be the main rider or the driver of the motor vehicle. Well, the foreigners could still change quickly to avoid being detected by the pump attendants or maybe those foreigners are willing to pay some tokens to the pump attendants to keep their mouth shut ............. hehehehehe. Trust me, human beings will do all kinds of nonsense just to achieve their selfish ambitions. Right?

I think all petrol stations in Malaysia will need a tactful attendance on 24 hours stand-by when inconsiderate customers turn up to pump petrol. Definitely some may claim that they are real Malaysians, just that they have left their I/C back home or in hotel or somewhere and they are forced to pump petrol now otherwise can't reach their home / hotel. Too bad - just pay at the market rate then, no need to argue.

No I/C no petrol at subsidised price!

Reading: Foreigners may pay more for petrol in Malaysia - The Brunei Times
Tags: Petrol Price, Petrol Station, Subsidised Petrol, Subsidised Price, Market Rate, Malaysia

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

The Sichuan Earthquake

In the previous day, TV news coverage did mention that two high schools did tumble down due to the strong earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter Scale that happened in Sichuan, China.

It was mentioned that there was an estimated 900 students / teachers that could be trapped in a middle school. By listening to it and seeing the TV news anchor person reading out the news doesn't really hit me yet.It didn't hit me until I saw the following picture that was taken while rescue effort was being carried out at a school.


This picture tore my heart into pieces and tears gathered in my eyes. I'm lost without words. My condolence to the people of China.

Donations:-
* How can you help - China Daily
* China Earthquake Relief - Network For Good

Reading: National death toll rises to 14,866 two days after quake - China Daily
Reading: The Sichuan Earthquake - EastSouthWestNorth
Tags: Sichuan, China, Sichuan Earthquake, Tragedy

Barber in New York

There was once a very good barber in New York, he give free haircut to everybody who comes into his shop to have their haircuts.

One day a florist goes to him for a haircut. After the cut, he goes to pay the barber and the barber replies: 'I am sorry. I cannot accept money from you. I am doing community service.' The Florist is happy and leaves the shop.

The next morning when the barber goes to open his shop, there is a thank you card and a dozen roses waiting at his door.

A policeman goes for a haircut and he also goes to pay the barber after the cut. But the barber replies: 'I am sorry. I cannot accept money from you. I am doing community service.' The cop is happy and leaves the shop.

The next morning the barber goes to open his shop,there is a thank you card and a dozen donuts waiting at his door.

A Singaporean software engineer goes for a haircut and he also goes to pay the barber after the cut. But the barber replies: 'I am sorry. I cannot accept money from you. I am doing community service.' The Singaporean software engineer is very happy and leaves.

The next morning when the barber goes to open his shop, guess what he finds there ....... .....
Can you guess?

Come on, think like a Singaporean lah....

have you got the answer ........... ?????

come on ............ .make your brain like a Singaporean! !!

guess....... ......what? ?

guess

guess....... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......









a dozen Singaporeans waiting for a free haircut!
Tags: Barber, New York, Singaporean, Florist, Policeman, Software Engineer, Funny, Humour, Jokes

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Impatient Driver

Was approaching a toll booth and drove towards a particular lane to pay for toll. In front of me was a green Nissan car. Out of a sudden a navy blue Honda dashed pass me, trying to jump queue instead of wasting time lining up.

The Nissan car driver noticed it (I think via the rear/side mirror that a car was trying to squeeze itself into its lane). The Nissan car sped up at the same time with both cars going into the toll booth area and soon ............................................................................. BANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Both cars were stucked in the same lane and the drivers couldn't come out from their cars too.
Tags: Impatient Driver, Tragedy, Toll Booth, Honda, Nissan

Monday, May 12, 2008

True Account at Bandar Mahkota Cheras

Received this email from a friend who stopped at this disputed road access area just to witness the on-going commotion. Due to the KPC part of her, she was able to relate the real incident to us on that fateful night when the riot police charged at the Malaysian citizens. So, this is not a fabricated story (that came with her personal frustration) like those you have read in the non-trustworthy mainstream media nowadays.
-----------------------------

I was there. As an eyewitness to the whole brutal episode, I have to say that the police were firing at women and children as well, as most of the onlookers present were not only from Bandar Mahkota Cheras, but also residents from the surrounding Tun Hussein Onn, Cheras Perdana and Balakong. Imagine the scene. All races. Thousands thronging at midnight when they could have been in bed. All terribly curious - the typical "stop and stare" Malaysian wondering how long this "GRAND Cat and Mouse SAGA" was going to hold. I was on my way home after a trip back from Ipoh and a stopover at a home fellowship.

It was late and I was tired. However, the sight of red FRU trucks jamming up the highway and the mass of people overflowing on to the roads post-elections was just too shocking. The "typical Malaysian" me took over! I parked my car and walked over to add another body to an already electrically charged scene. It was a peaceful gathering and many of us there felt great compassion for the resident for having to endure all this. I listened to the side conversations which seemed to resonate throughout the crowd -- a unison voice that foreshadowed a deep sense of helplessness and anger as they watched the workers putting up the barricades. I clapped and cheered along too when finally the Segambut MP appeared.

A happy ending, I thought, and many of us KPCs decided we had had enough - time to go home after smiles, guffaws and handshakes were passed all around. I was busy text messaging and updating my friends and colleagues when suddenly I heard the FRU bells being rung. Not possible, so I thought. No way. What happened right after was beyond belief! It was distressing for me to have watched a well behaved group of people being charged at, chased and mauled as if they were like dogs and it was sad that the police sided with the toll operator to hurt innocent people who use the highway everyday.

So, whatever you read in the newspapers from the police side of the story, please, that's so totally fabricated it makes me puke. It was grave injustice - not only were we doused, we were gassed. In that commotion, people were shouting - Mana Pak Lah? Where is Pak Lah? Mana dia? where is he? Dia tak peduli tentang rakyat dia ke? Does he not care for his people? Apa kerajaan ini, tak kesian ke kepada rakyat? What kind of government do we have - don't they have compassion for their people?

You know, having been to Bersih and watched Hindraf as well -- this takes the cake -- for the number of tear gas bombs spent, and the level of force! When the UMNO supporters gathered at Komtar, were they doused and gassed? My message to the police is - UMNO, and their toll operator and fellow corporate friends, do not pay your salaries. We, the tax payers of Malaysia do. And the irony of it all - my father was a policeman too. So, I understand, and I know.

Related post - Grand Saga vs Bandar Mahkota Cheras
Tags: Grand Saga, Bandar Mahkota Cheras, FRU, Riot Police

Pattaya International Fireworks Festival

Pattaya is definitely firing up its presence internationally. Covid19 has hit many nations really hard and Pattaya wasn't exempted from ...