Never Before In World Cup Venue Selection

Apparently a lot of people throughout the world is still quite upset about the selected venues for the coming Word Cups to be held in Russia and Qatar.

Never before, as far as I can remember, that there was so much of hoo haa in previous World Cup venue selection.

Argentine Football Association ("AFA") president Julio Grondona has to deny publicly that AFA didn't receive any payment of US$78.4 million (of bribe you mean?) that swayed his decision to vote for Qatar. That amount of money was rumoured to assist AFA out of their financial crisis involving the domestic Argentinian football league.

Somehow my blogpost on Is World Cup 2010 Fixed? is widely read in Argentina as it's being pasted in their football forums.

FIFA's general secretary, Jerome Valcke, then had to dismiss that there were many complaints about the World Cup voting procedures and that it wasn't transparent. Did it happen in previous World Cup venue selctions to this extent?

Just when you thought that everything's over now and that the respective host nation is to pick up from here and move forward in planning for a great World Cup.

Suddenly, Michel Platini - the UEFA President and Sepp Blatter - the FIFA President, suggested for calls to change the World Cup dates for Qatar from the summer period to the 'winter' period. They are saying that the footballers may not be at their best if they were to play in the heat of up to 50 celsius degree. That was the main point that shocked every football fans in the world.

Why choose them in the first place then if the summer heat was the main issue? I thought I read that Qatar has came out with excellent plans that stadiums will be air-conditioned and that the football pitch surroundings would be created with cooling effects. Now they are saying that it's too hot in the summer?!?!?!?!?!

What's the problem now?

The winter in the Middle East is normally around December to February with January being the 'coldest'. Are we saying that the 2022 World Cup will be played in year 2023 then?

If Qatar had submitted a World Cup bid detailing their plans to hold a 'winter' World Cup in the Middle East, would it have a significant effect on the voting exercises.

Now that Michel Platini has also called for the 2022 World Cup to be played at several Middle East countries at the same time, it has totally put the voting process into a disrepute. How can the venue be changed at this point of time? All this should have been highlighted in the bid and to be decided by the 22 FIFA executive committee members (another 2 committee members had been kicked out due to bribery scandals prior to the voting exercise) and not by two said individuals (Michel & Blatter) who have the loudest voice in the football arena.

Are we also saying that Qatar has to engage architects / engineers to review all the new stadiums again to accommodate the 'winter'? Do you need to switch on the air-conditioners during 'winter'?

Or that this 'winter' World Cup was actually in FIFA's mindset all this while even prior to the voting exercise? You tell me!

Not only that the architects / engineers have to amend the stadiums' drawings but all the football associations and football clubs in the world have to change their football schedules just to accommodate this so-called 'winter' World Cup.

Imagine the resources that are going to be wasted throughout the world.

Related post - Is World Cup 2010 Fixed?
Related post - Scandals Involving World Cups 2018 & 2022

Tags: World Cup Venue, Russia, Qatar, Argentine Football Association, Julio Grondona, World Cup Scandal, Michel Platini, Sepp Blatter, Winter World Cup

Beware Of Cheating Durian Sellers!

Five true accounts of events with durian sellers all over Kuala Lumpur:-

1) I myself was approached with the same modus operandi when having dinner with my family in a restaurant in Melawati. But when the durian seller quoted me the price can't remember how much but it was a ridiculous amount.

It was so unbelievable, I walked away in a huff, back into the restaurant, ignoring all the frantic cries of the durian seller. It was lucky I did so.

Dirtbags!!!
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2) DO NOT entertain or approach any durian seller whom you do not know at all, especially pasar malam, an event which they move from one place to another ....

Personally, I had a similar experience at Raju's in Petaling Jaya sometime early this year, 2010. As we had finished our roti canai at Raju's, a "decent" looking youth came up to me with a durian with a "window" opened to show a nice and tempting durian flesh inside. Yummy, so I thought.

He led me to this van half-filled with durians and promptly told his burly buddy that this boss (that's me) wanted to buy. This fellow just picked a huge durian and proceeded to open it.

Then in quick succession, he had already opened 3 fruits. I frantically stopped him and said that I actually wanted one only. The usual concluding statement from him was, "What am I going to do with these 3 opened durians?"

I asked how much? He answered, "RM280.00"!!

I uttered, "That's robbery."

Sensing that I had just been conned and cornered, I said sternly that I am only willing to pay RM120.00 max for the durians. To cut the long story short, I settled for RM200.00.

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3) Dear all,

My daughter just related this true incident that happened to her friend's mother.

She was eating breakfast at a makan stall in a wet market. A man approached her and asked if she would like to buy some fresh durians. Being a durian lover, she said yes. The man then asked her to follow him to his stall nearby.

At his stall, there were lots of durians. The man opened some fruits to show her the freshness of the durian. She was quite taken aback that he opened quite a few, so she said only wanted 5 durians.

Suddenly, the man asked, "What am I going to do with the opened durians?!" He insisted that she buy all the opened fruits. At this point, two big men with tattoos appeared at the stall.

The frightened woman decided not to buy and quickly walked to her car. But just as she opened the car door, the 'durian seller' came up behind her and slammed her door shut!

He waved the parang he had used to open the durians and demanded RM400 for the 5 durians she had wanted to buy.

The lady tried to protest about the price, but the man shouted at her, waving the parang threateningly close to her head. So, after some 'bargaining' (pleading), the three men settled on a price of RM 300 for five durians!

This incident happened in Cheras, but a robbery scam can be set up anywhere.

Beware, because they pretend to be legit traders, and durian sellers do carry parangs in broad daylight, so they have an alibi. If the cops show up, they'd just deny everything.

Times are hard now, and criminals are cooking up creative ways to rob the more vulnerable ones in surprising ways.
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4) Dear neighbors,

Beware of durian van seller (3 young guys with red hair + tatoo) who come to our neighborhood promoting "branded" grades of durian at RM10 - 18/kg. I chosen 2 BIG "mau san wong" durians after being offered at RM15/kg, used his scale weight the reading was 14kgs = RM210.00. I was shocked and refused to take the durians but he said both durians are already opened and checked by me; therefore I have to take it because he will not able to sell to others. Then all 3 durian guys keep persuade me..+ the driven of my durian-addict... has made me lost sense and bought both durians. After paid & back into my house I use own weight and found both durians are only 9kgs........SHIT ! Kena tipu liao...

So dear fellows please take my lesson and do not follow my step.
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5) They striked again. I saw the durian sellers this evening about 5:30pm. Two of them managed to lure a resident at jalan xxxxx and managed to cheat her of RM180 for a big durian weighing about 5-6kg, but the scale was showing a higher reading. By the time I could go and rescue her, they managed to harass her that she had to buy it cause they already opened it to show her. So i just stood there and stared at them while they quickly gave her the balance and reversed the car out of our lane.

Now i managed to get the number plate of the van - WSL6975. Can the committee inform the guards not to let in all these impromptu sellers? Also, I am paying the monthly RM100.00. Can i get contact details of these guards, in case i need to chase away these pests from our neighborhood, in the future.
Tags: Durian Seller, Cheating Durian Seller, WSL 6975, Fresh Durian, Parang, Man With Tattoo

How To Know The Gender Of A Fly

A woman walked into the kitchen to find her husband stalking around with a fly swatter.

'What are you doing?' She asked.

'Hunting Flies' He responded.

'Oh. ! Killing any?' She asked.

'Yes, 3 males, 2 Females,' he replied.

Intrigued, she asked.

'How can you tell them apart?'

He responded,

'3 were on a beer can,

2 were on the phone.'
Tags: Humour, Funny, Fly, Gender Of A Fly

Irresponsible Security Company

The ADT Security Services company went around my neighbourhood and stuck their stickers onto our main gates to promote their alarm system services. The picture below was taken at a neighbour's house.

 

When I wanted to remove the sticker from my main gate, this is the result of it ................. painstakingly doing it to make sure the paint don't come off at the same time. That's the remaining part that has yet to come off as the sticky part is really solid.

How can you do that to people's properties as you like?
Tags: ADT Security Services, Security Company, Alarm System

Will The Same Protestors Dare To Protest No Plastic Bags Day Now?

When the Penang and Selangor state governments implemented the No Plastic Day beginning on a Saturday, we can various forms of protest from many parties. These 'protestors' protested for the sake of protesting just to create a ruckus or made some noise to Pakatan Rakyat's ideas even though it may benefit the earth or the environment.

The Malaysian Plastic Manufacturers Association ("MPMA") northern branch even gave the reason that as many as 1,600 workers may lose their jobs if Penang was to further extend the No Plastic Days to other days besides Saturdays and effect the no more FOC plastic bags from today onwards.

MPMA northern branch is running a campaign, purposely going against the Penang state government, by giving out free plastic bags on the first three Sundays in January 2011.

Parti Gerakan Penang branch has even blasted the Penang state government for this no plastic bag policy.

Then we have web portals, such as this, writing about the negative effect it will have on the Selangor state government if the No Plastic Bag Day is to be carried out on the Saturdays. It mentioned that voters will be against such environmental policy.

Suddenly, the federal government has now decided to follow both the Penang and Selangor state governments to impose the 'No Free Plastic Bags on Saturdays' beginning next Saturday itself.

In launching this new ruling yesterday, the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry staff gave out reusable cloth bags to shoppers at the Alamanda shopping centre. May I know who paid for those cloth bags? Taxpayers' monies?

I can't wait to see MPMA northern branch, people that walked away from payment counters and Parti Gerakan Penang to protest even louder now since it's being implemented nationwide. The federal government is doing this quickly before Kedah and Kelantan (under Pakatan Rakyat ruling) decide to impose it. No face lah. I supposed MPMA as a whole and Parti Gerakan as a whole will be protesting too?

For those of you in Penang, bear in mind that when you shop at hypermarkets, supermarkets, departmental stores, pharmacies, fast food restaurants, nasi kandar outlets, convenience stores, chain stores, petrol kiosks or mini markets, bring along your own fabric bags / biodegradable bags / reusable bags to store your stuff.

I was caught off guard on Saturdays at times when I shop at Giant or Tesco. Forced to pay the RM0.20 for each plastic bag. Even IKEA imposes the RM0.20 ruling. Subsequently, I have bought those bags of my own to overcome this situation and stationed those bags in my car boot. Just have to remember to bring it along haha.

But have I seen customers protesting at the payment counters and walked away as what was written in the web portals? Nope, I didn't see that personally. Can't imagine people walking away after having selected their goods with care over a period of time just because of RM0.20.

Be prepared for those nationwide campaign against the federal government's decision. No?
Tags: Fabric Bags, Biodegradable Bags, Reusable Bags, No Free Plastic Bags, No Plastic Bags

First Spaceport Is Ready

You have heard of airport but what about a spaceport.

The world's first commercial spaceport is being built in near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico state and it has been named Spaceport America. It's owned by the state, built at a cost of US$198 million and it's runway is about two miles long.

Yes, that's the name of the place where the spaceport is located haha.

As of now, the only people that have gone up to space at this point of time are the astronauts and the too wealthy cum whom you know people.

But with this spaceport being made available, the reality of flying up to the space is becoming a dream come true for those who has it. Has what? You must be loaded as well as it won't come any cheaper just to have a seat on a 'spaceship' of such nature.

Of course, you need a spacecraft to fly you up from the spaceport too. A company that is eagerly waiting to launch their spaceship? spacecraft? spaceflight? whatever you call it is Virgin Galatic ("VG"). VG, a space tourism company, will be obtaining their spacecrafts from the Spaceship Company ("SC"), partly owned by the Virgin Group, which has been testing their spacecraft since 2004.

SC's spacecraft by the name of SpaceshipTwo is undergoing massive rocket testings to prepare for its maiden flight in nine to eighteen months' time.

VG will be the main anchor tenant at Spaceport America.

The person linked to all this space ventures is none other than Sir Richard Branson.

If you are really keen to be part of this historic space trip, you can register your name with SpaceShipTwo. In order to fly, you have to make a deposit with them. Of course, otherwise any Tom, Dick and Harry will be applying for it and not turning up on that day itself.

Although it's becoming a reality, it will only be a dream come true for the millionaires around the world. According to Forbes, there are about 10 million, I'm referring to the US$1 million cash, millionaires in the world today.

Hmmmmm that's a large market but if not wrong, a lot of them are quite old and not fit to board such flight. I don't mind becoming a proxy to fly on your behalf.

Related post - The Spaceship Company
Tags: Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, Spaceport America, Virgin Galatic,  Spaceship Company, Virgin Group, SpaceShipTwo, Sir Richard Branson

Complete & Finished

People say there is no difference between COMPLETE & FINISHED....

But there is.

When you marry the right one, you are COMPLETE...

And when you marry the wrong one, you are FINISHED.....

And when the right one catches you with the wrong one, you

are...

COMPLETELY FINISHED !!!!!!!!!
Tags: Funny, Humour, Complete, Finished