Football Predictions

Europe season 2009/10.
England - Liverpool
Germany - Bayern Munich
Spain - Real Madrid
Italy - Juventus

Champions League - Arsenal

What gives?

I always try to follow the All Blacks whenever they play a game. As long as it is shown live on TV, I will definitely try to watch. And so it was recently when the All Blacks played the Springboks in a tri nation match. I saw it live but unfortunately they were beaten 28 -14. Its not so much the result but the way the All Blacks played. So amateurish and they were supposed to be the best in their game. Losing the balls so easily through handling errors and schoolboys like passing I just cannot believed it but believed it I must cause I'm seeing it for real! Really hope they improve in the next game. Otherwise, they are going to get beat again!

I told you so

Its blowing hot and cold in Australia. Winning 1-0 one day and got whipped 11-3 another day. Just as I had expected. A flash in the pan all right! It seems that Malaysia is slipping on all fronts. Soccer, hockey, squash, takraw etc etc. I just have to keep on dreaming!

Well done!

A little piece of news went almost unnoticed. Malaysia beat the mighty Australian 1-0 in a friendly hockey match recently. After a long long time, it finally happened. Don't know if the Australians were playing with their reserves but wether it was the first team or the reserves, it is still a great achievement. Nevertheless, one hot day don't make a whole summer. It could be just another flash in the pan!

Bulls on rampage

The markets are going up and up. No stopping the bulls this time. All over the world, its the same. Just hope this trend will continue, at least for the KLSE. I think it can hit 1300 points before the end of the year. If it really happens, it will be great!

What's all this about RON?

Ever since the price of petrol shot up, the RON thing has been making the news. I have never paid any attention to it before, assuming for all its worth that the higher the RON, the better it is! For example, I always go for RON 97, thinking that it gives better performance for my car than RON 95. But now I am not so sure. I could have been paying more when I could have paid less and still get the same peformance for my car.

In the dark of the night

This is what I mean

Cars being parked haphazardly

Another one

After doing your errand, you might find your car blocked and unable to get out.

Feeling the age

I prefer taking the LRT for my errands rather than driving the car. It is such a hassle to drive because of the jam and most of all, to look for an available parking space. Most of the time, its a merry go round, driving round and round and still not able to park the car.
However, these days, I find it a bit tiring taking the LRT. Walking from the office to the LRT station, from the LRT station to the bank or whatever to do the necessity, back to the LRT station and finally from the LRT station to the office. By the time its over, I feel so tired.
Must be getting old I guess!

One for the oldies

Tom Watson almost did it. After 72 holes, he was tied for the lead. Only after a four hole playoff was he defeated. Had he won it, he would have been the oldest man to win a major golf tournament at 59. 59 years old! Can you imagine it..... and slugging it out for the British open!

Beautiful France

I have been following the Tour of France cycling race lately. Its been shown live on TV. What a race! Riding over a hundred kilometres each day through winding roads and hilly terrain. Must be very tiring and only fully fit riders can do it. No wonder cycling has been marred by doping scandals.
Anyway, while following the race, what I enjoyed most is the beautiful scenery. The riders go through beautiful country side, quaint little villages, peaceful little towns with colourful flowers and trees.

Pulau Sibu resort, Johor

Half an hour boat ride from the Pengkalan Leman jetty on the mainland will get you here. A beautiful resort on Pulau Sibu. The only drawback is getting to Pengkalan Leman. It is long and winding. However, coming back, we took the road south to Kota Tinggi and from there headed north to Kluang. It might be further but the road is very straight, making the drive faster.

Idyllic villages in the sun

A village on one of the island

Another island

Islands a plenty

One of the island near Pulau Sibu

A trip to Pulau Sibu, Johor

Mersing, Johor

Thinking the jetty at Pengkalan Leman is off Mersing, I drove all the way to Mersing and waited for the others. When they came, we convoyed towards the jetty and how surprised I was. It is actually 70 kms from Mersing.

Playing away at home

What a funny situation. The Malaysian football team was playing at the Bukit Jalil stadium right here in KL, Malaysia but ironically, it looked as if it was Manchester United that was playing at home. A sea of reds filled the stadium to the brim. Blue, the colour of the Malaysian team could hardly be seen. A sprinkle here and there perhaps, that's all. Anyway, the score was flattering, Manchester United beating the number 157 ranked team in the world by just a goal, 3-2. Micheal Owen scored the winning goal on his Manchester debut.

Tiger cut out

I followed the round that he played when he failed to make the cut. After pars till the 6th hole, a birdie on the 7th was immediately followed by a bogey. After that, the story is very much the same. A struggle all the way resulting in a four over. That Japanese player, Ryo Ishikawa, only 17, impressed as well although he also missed the cut.

What a great week!

After trying for quite a time, the KLSE finally broke through the 1100 points barrier. Worldwide, it was a great week everywhere as far as the market is concern. Although worries about the economy still abound, recovery is well on the way. For the KLSE, I predict reaching 1200 points anytime soon.

Another wedding

View from the top

Enjoying ourselves

People arriving

53 years

Celebrations - 100 days

The crowd outside the hall

People walking pass the gamelan group

Traditional music greet the visitors

I'm 53 years old

I'm fifty three years old today. Over the years, I have had my ups and my downs, my tears of sadness and moments of happiness, my share of fun and feelings of despair, taken some knocks and achieving many highs, many wonderful days amidst a few hard days but all in all, life has been good and I have no complain. I feel blessed and I'm grateful to Allah for that. May the years ahead be filled with joy and happiness and most of all, a subservient to Allah, the Almighty.

The three months of continuous fasting

I first came across this a few years back when a friend of mine did it. He will start his fasting from the month of Rejab, right through Shaaban and finally Ramadhan. That means three months of continuous fasting. Even at that time, I asked myself, where did he get this practise from. Certainly not from the prophet pbuh. However, I kept the question to myself, not wanting to offend him. But lately, I found that this practise is spreading. I met other friends who do this. Really is a surprise because I'm pretty sure this is not the practise of the prophet pbuh.

Memorising the Quran

I envy people who have the Quran in their head. Its a wonder how they can do it. Years ago, I tried it myself but gave up after a while. It is just so difficult. Perhaps age plays a part. I was already in my forties when I tried it. Ask me to memorise a surah and I can do it, no problem but ask me again a week later to recite the same surah and I will struggle. That's my problem. I just cannot keep them long in my head.

Federer, the king!

You have to hand it to him! Fifteen Grand Slams and counting. That's a record achievement never done before. The previous record was held by Sampras at fourteen but he reached that figure when he was already in the twilight of his career. Federer is still young, is at his peak and at the moment, there's no one who can challenge him except for maybe, Nadal. If he can remain injury free, who knows what more he can achieve!

Iran - 30 years on

Thirty years after the Islamic revolution, Iran is again at a crossroad. Although demonstrations in its capital city has been brought to a stop by government crackdown, the problem seems to simmer on. Looking from outside, it is difficult to say who is right and who is wrong. Just hope the Iranians will be able to solve their problems, whatever they are. The Islamic revolution was historic. It will be a sad day if it has to come to an end.

Miracle it is!

If you don't believe in miracles, believe it now. Just look at Micheal Owen and you will know what I mean. Down in the doldrums, unwanted by anybody except for a two also ran clubs just days ago until MU came into the picture and suddenly, he's now a MU player! I can hardly belive it. Neither can he I'm sure but then that's just the way it is.

A cure for cancer?

Read somewhere recently that some doctors in the US have found a drug that may be the answer to cancer. Although still in the experimental stage, the results so far have been promising. Some people recovered completely from cancer after trying the drug. Lets hope for the best!

Still set in the old ways

I suppose its not easy to make the change. After so long being the opposition, making the transition to being a government is hard going. The mind still reacts in the old way. Any problem, boycott. Any problem, quit. Any problem, protest. Its that easy. After all, they have been doing it all this while. The fact that they are the government in some states have not rub in I guess.

Real Madrid is at it again!

What is Real tying to do? Buy up all the players! No matter how many star players they may have, they can only play eleven at any one time. It will be an uphill battle keeping the players happy. Let's face it. Up to a level, money is not a factor anymore. Players want to play, week in, week out. And that they can't do when there are so many star players vying for the first eleven!

The time for reckoning

Wimbledon is in the second week and the usual suspects are still very much in contention. Can Roger Federer make it 15 Grand Slam titles with a win or will Andy Murray breaks his heart by finally landing the title that has eluded a British player for so many years. But before that, there's the semi finals to worry about and both are facing strong opponents. Well, they must be or they wouldn't be in a Wimbledon semi final.

Islam, Quran and Hadis

Many years ago, when I started reading about Islam, I began to learn many many new things that I never knew before. Some of them surprised me. All along, Islam for me was just following what others do. If everybody does it then it must be right. I never really bother to find out. Only when I started going back to the source, Quran and Hadis, did I discover that some of the things we did were without any merit. Its quite a shocked to say the least!