Confusing Olympics Medal Standing

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is heating up in many sports arenas throughout a few cities in China. No doubt that we can see from the total number of athletes' participation that both USA and China would be going all out in their respective sports to compete for the number one position in the medal standing.

Who would dare to bet against China in not getting the number one position for the first time in Olympics history by looking at the current medal standing. But USA is catching up and with their athletics taking up positions in the track and fields' events, surely they will threaten China's current number one position.

But what am I talking about? What catching up with China? In Fox Sports, USA is already shown as the number one nation in the medal standing. Fox Sports took into consideration the total number of medals won (be it gold or silver or bronze). Fox Sports-shares owned by USA interests-obvious!

When you read the official Beijing 2008 website, the medal standing showed otherwise where China is the top nation. Obviously, this website is maintained by China web administrators.Which medal standing do you support?

For me, I'll adopt the medal standing which rates the nations according to their number of gold medals first. There are 302 gold medals to be won. Imagine USA was to win all the 302 golds and China won the rest of the 604 silvers and bronzes, will China be accepted as the number one in the medal standing?

Reading: China Vs USA, The Olympic Medal Race Begins - Great Findings

Reading: The Medal Rankings: Which Country Leads the Olympics? - New York Times

Reading: Raising the Stakes at the Olympics - Time

Tags: USA, China, Sports, Olympics, Beijing, Beijing 2008, Beijing Olympics, Olympic Games, Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Olympic Games Medal Standing, Medal Standing, Fox Sports

The State of Malaysian Students

Here are some reasons to show why the teaching profession is so pressurised:-
Tags: Education, English Test, Teaching Profession

My Journey Back to Home Ground

Left Khartoum on Sunday night after a long delay at the airport. My Emirates Airlines plane was supposed to depart at 7.20pm (local time) but the wonderful plane landed just before that and passengers were only alighting from the airplane at 7.20pm.

In such case, I would expect a forty minutes wait for the plane to be cleaned. At 8.05pm, we were boarding our plane but were seated in it till 8.45pm before the captain announced that we will be on our way. My my.

Arrived at Dubai around 1am plus. The colourful wall that you can see here is actually the outer design of a bus. It has not opened its doors yet at that point of time.













Our plane stopped about five minutes away from the main terminal. Peak timing during midnight at Dubai airport.

The plane from Khartoum was packed and this scenario in the bus was just like a public bus. Went straight to the transfer desk to obtain my boarding pass for my connecting flight at 10.20am. That's how crazy it was. Me and my two other colleagues were amongst the first to be at the counter and we were the last to leave the counter. That was way past 2am.

Arrived at Millenium Airport Hotel to be checked in and only managed to drop dead on bed at 3am. By 7.45am, we woke to go over to the airport.

The Dubai city scenery seen from my bedroom. Not facing the city centre where there are lots of towering buildings.

The buildings (two storeys) right in front of me is the Dubai International School which comprise several blocks. Owing to the huge expats found in Dubai, such international schools are really huge.

That's the Dubai Metro railway, under construction to meet the congestive traffic throughout Dubai city.

At 10.20am, it's time for my flight back to home sweet home. The control tower located on the right hand side of the picture.

Human traffic jam while entering the plane. It was a Boeing 777 model.










They were still pumping fuel into my airplane while I was boarding it.















Seated besides me was a beautiful four year old girl (I think) from the Middle Eastern region. I was seated at the aisle seat while she was at my right and her parents were on her right. The mother who was beside her couldn't care less about her. She was poking the TV screen on the seat in front of her.

She was totally excited with that flight. Moving here and there. Kicked my leg unknowingly. I couldn't stand it any longer. When it came to meal time, I threw some sleeping pills into her food without her parent's knowledge.

She knocked out for the rest of the flight. Peace at last!

My beautiful Kuala Lumpur International Airport building. It was just a pretty sight.
Tags: Khartoum, Emirates Airlines, Dubai, Dubai Airports, Millenium Airport Hotel, Dubai International School, Dubai Metro, Boeing 777, Middle East, Kuala Lumpur International Airport

My Blog Mentioned in Wall Street Journal

My blog posting on Beijing Olympics in Jeopardy has drawn the attention of The Wall Street Journal. Unbelievable!
It's such simple thing that motivates me to blog.
Tags: The Wall Street Journal, China Journal, Beijing Olympics

Why Bill Gates Decides to Sell Off Microsoft?

Letter from Banta Singh to Mr. Bill Gates
Subject: Problems with my new computer

Dear Mr. Bill Gates,
We have bought a computer for our home and we have found some problems, which I want to bring to your notice.

1. There is a button 'start' but there is no 'stop' button. We request you to check this.

2. One doubt is whetherany 're-scooter' is available in system? I find only 're-cycle', but I own a scooter at my home.

3. There is 'Find' button but it is not working properly. My wife lost the door key and we tried a lot trace the key with this 'find' button, but was unable to trace. Please rectify this problem.

4. My child learnt 'Microsoft word' now he wants to learn 'Microsoft sentence', so when you will provide that?

5. I bought computer, CPU, mouse and keyboard, but there is only one icon which shows 'My Computer': when you will povide the remaining items?

6. It is surprising that windows says 'My Pictures' but there is not even a single photo of mine. So when will you keep my photo in that.

7. There is 'MICROSOFT OFFICE' what about 'MICROSOFT HOME' since I use the PC at home only.

8. You provided 'My Recent Documents'. When you will provide 'My Past Documents'?

9. You provide 'My Network Places'. For God sake please do not provide 'My Secret Places'. I do not want to let my wife know where I go after my office hours.

Last one to Mr. Bill Gates: Sir, how is it that your name is Gates but you are selling WINDOWS?

Reading: Bill Gates bids a teary farewell to Microsoft -ZDNet
Tags: Microsoft, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Word, Bill Gates, Banta Singh, Software

Empowerment Seminar

Just one week before I left Sudan, my fellow church mates came together for an Empowerment Seminar for the Creative Ministry members. I was in charge of games and as usual must plan torturing games ....... haha

Yeah Yeah, too bad ..... I'm arranging so no choice.

This game started with two persons locking their arms while leaning on each other's back. Next, start to stand up with the arms still locked.

As the pair is able to stand up, they have to look for the next pair who has succeeded. As with this group, there are eight persons trying to stand up together. The moral - the more the easier to stand up together. In tune with the seminar where I was trying to tell them that teamwork is important.
These are the books that were recommended to be read which will empower us in the Creative Ministry.
Group prayers.
How come I wasn't praying then? Curi ayam ke?
Tags: Empowerment Seminar, Creative Ministry

Khartoum Life

The Spanish Ambassador's residence. Really huge. Spain is one of the nine European Commission countries that have an embassy in Sudan.
The city's main bus terminal. Around hundred over buses were sighted.
The new bus terminal being constructed nearby.











Most of the buildings in Khartoum would be in this dull brown colour. The main reason would be due to sandstorm in Khartoum. No point having a good paint as the sandstorm will wreak damages on your paint. By having this brown colour paint, you can't see the dirt.











This was a Hummer that we have noticed on the city streets. In this trip itself, I have seen five Hummers already. The rich are really too rich.

I have only seen one Hummer in Kuala Lumpur thus far.
Tags: Khartoum, Sandstorm, Hummer, Spanish Ambassador, Bus Terminal