Bitesize Updates

On Penanti by-election...
Shouldn't be held at the first place. But Fairus the Misai Kucing Silat Ultraman felt betrayed but remains loyal with PKR. I mean, what is your problem? One even told me that Fairus had to do it to further his studies? Come on.. in what? Silat Cekak Penjejak Badai Tahap Qigong Meriam? You were selected by the people to serve them for a term. And the results shown as if there is no need for that by-election. Only 43% went out to vote? That's like the lowest ever! Apart from the by-elections triggered by deaths, other by-elections were unnecessary as well. It cost a lot of tax payer money and what a waste of time when evidently the results indicated the people remains loyal with the party won in the General Election 2008. What a load of rubbish.

On Guy Carpenter...
It's my 5th week now. Really happy with it. The people here are soo brilliant and it's different for me because the bosses actually sit near you. I can actually meet the SVPs because they are only 3 cubicles away. I got the corner lot where people past by every time they go for tea/coffee in the mini-canteen. Kantoi surfing Internet...

The future...
Depends really. Would hope to stay longer here. Qualify maybe? Definitely. 5 years here and 6 years with MNRB that sounds Alright as long as everything goes smooth with me.

The new house...
Still think its a bargain. I paid 375pounds per month for the Neasden house, 350 for the one at Park Court, 300 for Linacre Road I hardly occupied and now 460 for Scarborough St. I have got a double-bed room, with newly furbished shower room and toilets plus we got the new stove as well. Low point is I am actually sharing with unknowns but I'm quite click with one of them named Martin, who, ironically, was made redundant by Guy Carpenter earlier this year. Gulp! The distance to Tower Place? 7 minutes walk so no 100 quid monthly travel pass for me!

Food hunting...
Yeah went Shanghai Inn's Noodles (Halal), Bayswater the first time with Adrian, Arin and Amir (Arin's brother). Very nice the duck! I like! But the disappointment was for the dumplings.. tasteless. But will come again. And there is an Indian restaurant just round the corner of my house named Halal Restaurant. A lot better than Khan's. Good food, good service. Very polite. Got free dessert some more. After my last visit with Shukur from Malaysian Re, that could be my last.

Weekend football...
4 a side the first time I went with the likes of Arin, Amir, Amir, Amir, Yas, Zaid, fadhli and others.. If no people, we play Frisbee. Very weird the frisbee. But very fast.. travels so long. Got injured last weekend. Amir Abdillah was soo sweet to check out on my ankle the next day by calling. Budak baik ni! Haha. Unlucky je tak dapat masuk Final British Got Talent. (AMir, if you are reading this, jgn marah wei ko dah nak kawen kena control macho nanti bersanding. Haha).

Ok now I need to go solat Zuhur at Level 2. Yes, GuyCarp/Marsh ada bilik solat! Woohoo!

Chalos

End of season review

::::::::SPOILER AHEAD::::::::::

The English Premier League 2008/09

I wanted Liverpool to win the championship. I know, coming from a Gooner I shouldn't be rooting for the Scousers. It was simply because of how I hate Man Utd winning the league season after season. Sadly, the Merseysiders blew their chance of any silverware (again, same goes to Arsenal) after drawing with so many lowly clubs.

On a higher note, United failed to get their so called "Quintuple Champions" status, ended up with as "shit Treble winners" after winning the league and collecting the uncompetitive World Club Cup and the League Cup (where Arsenal only fielded their reserve team). Before you say anything, as you can see from my season preview I never said Arsenal is going to win something this season... but "Quintuple" sounds a bit more like Mel Gibson and his octoplets-fatherhood brag while losing half of his fortune dumping his wife in the process after claiming his new girlfriend is expecting his 8th child.

Come on Mel. If Gene Simmons doesn't use the condoms, he could have fathered the many children of 100+ women he slept with.

And now Man Utd had to settle for the cheap treble. In my books, they can be respected for retaining the title for the 3rd time but you can now see their achievement has declined from last season. New champions next season? Well, hopefully. Maybe some new contenders as well from the likes of Manchester City, Everton and even Portsmouth which is currently linked with a takeover bid from Sulaiman Al Fahim.

Sulaiman must have been a keen admirer of British football. The TV revenues is something he can pounce on with his deep pocket investment. Maybe its the crescent on Pompey's badge that he could seek luck from.

Oops I forgot to mention I feel sorry for Newcastle Utd fans out there.. especially Nik and Haniz. Just hope and pray that The Looney Toons won't do a Leeds.

Amazing Race Season 14

What a finale! I was rooting for Margie and Luke since the start but Tammy and Victor became stronger and stronger after their fall out earlier in the episodes to win the 1 Million dollars. The team had an advantage of being able to speak Mandarin for the final rounds in China before jetting to Hawaii. Keisha and Jen made a boob by stopping at the WC at the wrong time and blew their chance to be in the final three where Jaime (woohoo) and Cara pipped them to the final round. Margie and Luke (who could have been the first deaf contestant to win The Amazing Race) were leading in the final round but Luke was nervous with the final two surfboards indicating the task for each last two rounds but he completely forgotten about it. How can he forgot what happened the day before that really puzzles me until now. Well the best team won.

Hell's Kitchen USA Season 5

Danny is a cocky bastard. But he is indeed a great chef. I thought Paula was going to win it but as I saw the door handles (with Danny's slightly leveled than Paula's) I knew Dan's going to win it. It was simply unfortunate as it was so clear that Danny's restaurant was soo ugly with the fake fishes hanging on the walls compared to Paula's glam decor. I guess it's true it's all about the quality of the food. William's Kedai Haram Tepi Jalan and Sri Murni proved that as well. Come on, even the smell of the drain and higher prices can't deter the customers flocking for William's carbonara pasta and nasik goreng ketam.

British Got Talent

I had no favourites. I enjoy watching the auditions as usual but when I saw the final, I predicted the top 3 would be Diversity, Susan Boyle and Julian Smith. Well it was an accurate prediction but it was quite like a give away judging at the final performances of the contestants. Aidan didn't perform as good as the night before though he was one of the favourites. Susan gave her all but the recent media sort of like portraying her having a bad start riding with Big Boys. Shaheen was alright but it was probably because he didn't improve that much through time that saw him lose out even in the top 3.

Prison Break Finale

Very moving. I've been watching the series since it began and watching your hero die to save his beloved ones made you ponder about the real purpose of life.

What a sweet song!

Love story by lovely Taylor Swift

We were both young when I first saw you.
I close my eyes and the flashback starts:I'm standing there on a balcony in summer air.
See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns.
See you make your way through the crowdand say hello;Little did I know

That you were Romeo; you were throwing pebbles,
And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet."
And I was crying on the staircase,begging you, 'Please, don't go.'"
And I said,"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.
I'll be waiting; all there's left to do is run.
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story - baby just say 'Yes.'"

So I sneak out to the garden to see you.
We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew.
So close your eyes; escape this town for a little while.

'Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter,
And my daddy said "Stay away from Juliet,"
But you were everything to me; I was begging you, 'Please, don't go,'"

And I said,"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.
I'll be waiting; all there's left to do is run.
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story - baby just say 'Yes.'

Romeo save me - they're tryin' to tell me how to feel;This love is difficult, but it's real.
Don't be afraid; we'll make it out of this mess.
It's a love story - baby just say "Yes.'"

Oh, oh.
I got tired of waiting,
Wondering if you were ever comin' around.
My faith in you was fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town,
And I said,"Romeo save me - I've been feeling so alone.
I keep waiting for you but you never come.
Is this in thy head? I don't know what to think-
"He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said,
"Marry me, Juliet - you'll never have to be alone.
I love you and that's all I really know.
I talked to your dad - go pick out a white dress;It's a love story - baby just say 'Yes.'"

Oh, oh. Oh, oh.'Cause we were both young when I first saw you...

Knowing You Knowing Me

WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD. IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED 'KNOWING' THE MOVIE PLEASE DO NOT CONTINUE!

I had the chance to watch this movie after watching its sneak preview on Astro with Nicholas Cage's interview and all. I was pessimistic at first Knowing would be a good movie for the day with Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic and others rating it at an average of 40%.

But my oh my don't I like this movie to bits? Come on! It's so good for me I am writing a blog entry for it!

Most people would find sci-fi movies to be stupid and too good to be true. I understand the over-dramatization of some of it although they are based on scientific evidence. I always thought I will make a movie one day and to tell you the truth, Knowing is the kind of movie I am going to make! (if I had the chance and money).

A mix of scientific discoveries with the Abrahamic holy books (Torah, Bible and Koran) has always intrigued me on provoking the minds of the humans. It is a missionary way to promote their religions through films that I am willing to take opportunity from. I also had the chance to watch 'Maut' which was clearly related to Islam and yes, it was a bit disturbing, same goes to Knowing to some extent.

It was so quiet after the movie ended in both cases. I went straight to Musollah after watching 'Maut' and went on 'insaf' mode at least for a few days! As for Knowing, everyone was quiet as if they were planning to go for pilgrimage in the same year, or the Mass for the Christians. Some might scoff of the idea of the 'aliens' are actually the angels with a superior technology that have created us all. Whatever it is, be very sure that I am not worshipping the Knowing religion created by scriptwriters or the original novel author (like Scientology) by telling you all this but it did provoke me in some ways.

What if the end of the world is near? Then all of this is useless. Your life. My life. Their lives. My goal to become an actuary. Anwar's goal to become the Prime Minister. Herald trying their means to provoke the Muslims. The terrorists fighting for the causes in the wrong way. Obama trying to salvage the future of a peaceful world. Your plan to go for futsal tomorrow. Your plan of getting married. Your plan of making a lot of babies...

The list is of course too long. But we are not sure enough when this end of this world will be.

But it will come eventually.

However, it is vital that we are not the people who will end this world. It can start with simply "Knowing you knowing me". I believe to end the war related to religions, power-craze, greed, ethnicity among others should start with knowing people. What are the needs of the people. I truly believe their is always a way to end the war.

Destroying the environment, the animals and the plants are simply because of not sensitive enough to knowing each other. You can't expect the animals, the plants, the microorganisms to know much of you people, but we are given the best gift that is to think what is right and wrong. Even some animals are prepared to evacuate their habitat if you developers relocate them instead of shooting them down.

Stray dogs on the streets are killed everyday. What have they done wrong to you that they deserve capital punishment? Stealing your leftovers? There's no religion that asks men to kill the dogs or any other animals. If there is one hadith saying that, it clearly means the hadith is not true and must be thrown away. There is no such thing as a discrimination against the dogs and pigs in Islam and this is another misunderstanding that Muslims should know.

So, it's all about knowing your/their religion, your/their faith, your/their beliefs. Even if you are so called infidels and atheists as you called yourselves it doesn't mean I have to fight you. However, you also shouldn't comment about whichever religion is not right. When you get to know my religion, and bear in mind that we have been practising it for about a thousand and a half years, you can't just take it away from the world. Let us believe what we want to believe. And then will come mutual respect.

Our main enemies are not the Christians, the Jews, the Muslims, the Hindus, the Buddhists or the Communists. People who give hate a chance at all cost, are our common enemies. The terrorists, the blood-lust leaders, all the people who promote war and destruction, they are the real issues here. Not like the things happening in Malaysia, the political turmoil, craze of power that we should champion for.

I wouldn't want to put my body in line for the benefit of the few leaders who are not even sincere and would do the same mistakes in the long run! That would be stupid. The best thing is to play our roles to help bring peace in the world.

The movie Knowing ended with the current world destroyed by solar flare with Caleb and Abby would become Adam and Eve in the new earth thanks to the angel-like aliens which want the humans to 'start-over'.

When there is a nuclear war, 'starting over' would be too late in the real world.

Snippets

On Tree of Democracy...
First of, do the rakyat as a whole in Perak would agree to this "Pakatan-only State Assembly"? I'm sure most Chinese and Indians in Perak would but most Malays in Perak are unhappy with the way Pakatan Rakyat went against the wishes of Sultan although it seems His Highness' decision was a bit hasty. However, there are still many Malays who believe in the Sultan. I quote the words of makcik-makcik, "Makin naik tocang aku tengok diorang ni menyesal aku pangkah DAP sampai Sultan aku depa nak pijak?" Don't destroy the tree as it did nothing wrong but let me ask you again, if Pakatan doesn't mind taking over a government through defections, why so angry now? Move on! Look forward! Next GE is only few years shy away! Your leader shouldn't have agreed to defections in the first place so that you guys don't look like hypocrites now!

Dissolve the Assembly, fresh elections for Perak?
No. I disagree. Campaigns need money. And the current economic situation doesn't help. I don't agree with defections either but it has happened now and the current constitution allows it. Pakatan Leaders (except Karpal Singh) agree with it. I really hope this craze for power can be stopped now so that both sides can concentrate on improving the economy. I am pessimistic both will follow this suggestion as they are like cats and dogs. In your dreams-lah these people are fighting their hearts out for the rakyat.

On teaching Science and Maths in English...
It's a non-issue. The funny thing is, the Malays are the majority who are against PPSMI but many of them are still struggling with English. I really think this should not be a problem if the students will be given a choice to answer in English or Bahasa Malaysia. "Cakap Inggeris pun tergagap-gagap macam mana aku nak employ budak Melayu ni masuk company aku?" quoted our neighbour. I wonder who are behind this emotional gathering to abolish PPSMI. So not progressive and lack vision.

On Kugan's second post-mortem...
Please put these cops behind bars. The doctor who did the first post-mortem too. However, I understand why cops had to use alternative ways to make suspects reveal things but takkan lah sampai mati?

On my confidence with Pakatan Rakyat...
It's not totally lost. But after one year, they have shown potentially hazardous ways of thinking. Firstly they dissappointed the rakyat with the defections agenda and power craze where they should concentrate on serving the rakyat as promised. They have shown traits of a populist government in many national issues. The fatwas on yoga, non of them has come to defend the Majlis Fatwa. Sedekah daging korban pun nak bagi kroni. The Camry issue. Going against PPSMI and defending vernacular schools despite them proposing Malaysians' Malaysia. Pakatan won the people through Politik Kontroversi but it's not going to help all the time. People can be sick of street demos or lies from the blogs in the long run. For me, Pakatan Rakyat is just another political party. We can't find many sincere politicians anymore these days. From Pakatan I can name a few (Guan Eng and Nik) but I do hope they stay the same for the years to come. That is why my confidence on this shadow government is not totally lost although I don't think their current leader is a sincere one. Too many skeletons in the closet to start with... (when he was both in UMNO and PKR)... and I will stop there, for the moment.

On strict regulations by the UK Border agency...
I saw their advert on The Star today it seems that they are not showing any mercy towards Malaysians already. So please don't "play-play" with them. A friend of mine was banned for entry into the UK for 5 years and it was not even her mistake for not being able to declare some incidents. The current online system is dodgy, she claimed. So don't "play-play" ar... there is always the right channel.

On Khairy's interview with Malaysiakini...

He's denying everything the public sees him. Will the public listen to him? No. Will he win the Pemuda UMNO post? I hope not. To save BN, leaders with tainted images must be taken off. And BN must deliver and must not misuse the power through corruption. When they have proven that, then only people can accept BN back. However, can this be done quickly?

Time is running out.