MAHA 2010

Every year I wait in great anticipation for MAHA to come but when it comes, I never can find the time to visit it. At the moment MAHA 2010 is in full swing. Wanted to go last weekend but had so many other things to do. Also on weekends I am told the place is over crowded. A few years ago I actually went. It was the last day but went I got there, it was all but over.....sigh.

Korea on the brink

I noticed that whenever the South Koreans, or at least the ones that I met, show a map of their country, the map will inevitably be of Korea in total i.e. South and North Korea. On a few occasion, I had a to take a slightly longer time to digest because I was expecting a map showing only South Korea. In their mind maybe, Korea is just one, no North or South. With tension simmering in the Korean peninsula at the moment, it must be very hard for the Korean people. Its like a family quarrel.

Green eyed horns

Great memory Loqman. Let me test you with this one!

An outing at the alley

Some days it can be white

Which bridge to cross?

Today I have a hard decision to make. Reason being I have to be at three places at the same time. That's really tough when you have to split your body into three, so to speak. Until this very morning, I am still undecided. I guess I'II cross the bridge when the time comes......which is .......... about now!

When I was small.....

and Rambutan trees were tall..... With my younger sister. Must be when I was about 8 or 9 yrs old.

Now I am tall......

But Rambutan trees are taller.

When Kung Fu was the craze, I had people coming up to me and sang the song 'Kung Fu fighting.........' Perhaps I had some resemblance to that famous 'Kung Fu' actor. Lucky thing nobody decided to try his Kung Fu on me. Otherwise, I would be in deep trouble.

Surprises can be pleasant

The match had less than five minutes to go with India leading 3-2 when I decided I had seen enough and shut the TV. Its going to be the same old story. Beside, Mahgrib prayer was due. So imagine my surprised when later in the night, I read the news from the internet. My eyes almost popped out. 'Malaysia to meet Pakistan in hockey final' the headline screamed. Wow! what a pleasant surprise.
If only I can get surprises like this everyday of the week! How nice.

He who swims without the pants........

Overspending is a trait much encourage now. With credit easily available, people are enticed to spend more than they can afford. You don't have money, just borrow! What's the problem? None actually if you know how to count your chicken before its hatched. The problem is not many of us know! Its only when the tide recede do we know who is actually swimming without their pants on, as one billionaire famously said! By then, its too late.

Ireland money woes and Idris Jala

Its the turn of Ireland now. Before that it was USA, then Greece. Portugal and Spain are next in line if business talks are to be believed. Their stories are almost similar, a property boom that went to bust. Easy credit was the culprit with banks dishing out loans to whoever for whatever, with little or no consideration for the risks at stake.
In Malaysia, the rise and rise and rise of household debts is a cause for concern. Is it because of easy credit? Maybe so. Just this week, I rejected three offers of cash. Its the other way round now. Not the bank rejecting you but you rejecting the bank! Then there are loans for almost everything now, personal, house renovation, holiday, study etc. etc. but the ultimate must be today when I heard over the radio.....loan to do the Haj.
Maybe Idris Jala is right after all.....if we are not careful, we can go bankrupt!

Weddings a plenty

From now till the end of December and perhaps a bit of January, my weekends will be full, that much I dare say. The wedding season is back again. Invitations are piling up on my desk. I am not complaining but just need to be careful about eating too much of the nice bad food.

Who wants to be a football manager?

Being a football manager is not a profession for the weak. Its where getting the sack is so common that if you survived a few years, you are in the minority. However, if you are successful, you will be paid handsomely. If you already carry a name, getting the sack can be a blessing in disguise because the severance pay can be in the millions. I would love to be a football manager. I think I can be a success. I know I can be a success but the only problem is, the world don't know it!

A new kid is in town

Yes...that's right. After a few false start, finally another player has entered the market. Cheaper and faster too, so they said. Already, analyst are predicting an all out price war. I wait with great anticipation. Who knows, if I can save a few ringgit, switching to this new player is definitely an option.

Guess where?

Guess where?

Hari Raya Eidul Adha

Cows for the 'Korban'
As is the culture in this side of the country, Eidul Adha is celebrated on a much smaller scale compared to Eidul Fitri. Normally its just to the mosque for the morning prayer and that's it. That's what I did this year. The rest of the day was spent in the house, doing nothing much. I'm told in the East Coast, the celebration is on a much bigger scale. Must pay a visit some day to see what's its like over there.

Two different experience of doing the Haj

I first went for the Haj in 1996. I stayed seven to a room and food was not included in the package. As such, I had the opportunity to try all kind of food in different restaurants in Mekah and Madinah. In between prayers, I used to wander around the city looking for food to eat and therefore had quite a good grasped of it. Many times, I met pilgrims who had lost their way. I led them back to their hotels. It was similar in Mina as well. I also met many people in the course of doing the Haj.
The second time, in 2003, I went on a totally different package where I stayed two to a room. Food was also provided. This time around, I just followed the group. Everything was provided for. Its just to the mosque and back to the hotel most of the time. Didn't get to meet that many people as well except for those in the group.
Anyway, suffice to say that on both trips, being a guest of God is fulfillment enough.

Some days

On my way back home from work yesterday along the NPE, I noticed the jam was terrible on the opposite side. Some people have even got out of their cars and resting by the roadside, smoking cigarette or chatting with each other. In my heart, I was saying to myself, thank God I'm on this side of the road. Otherwise, don't know what time I will get home.

The Journey of a Lifetime

As the pilgrims in Mekah head for Arafah and later to Mina, my heart is with them on this spiritual journey of a lifetime. Its an experience that will be embedded forever in their hearts. To do the Haj is an honour bestowed upon us by God the Almighty. Not everybody gets to go to Mekah. I know of many who have all the requirements but yet, for some reason, have not done the Haj. Alhamdulillah, I am not one of them.

Talking Malaysian football again

Don't know if the referee was being overzealous or not but he did sent off three of our players during the match. That really created a whole lot of problem for our players and they lost 0-3. Anyway, its academic now because in the next round, Iran beat us 3-1. There are glimmers of hope but only just. We are still too far down the rank to trouble even Asia's best. I see the light but its too far away!

Horn at your own peril

In Malaysia, if you want to get your head bashed, sound the horn. In some other countries, sounding the horn is the order of the day. As soon as the driver gets into the vehicle, the first thing he'll do is sound the horn. In yet some other countries, driving is only for the brave. Its everyman for himself especially when it comes to corners and roundabouts. Funny but the different cultures of the world can be seen by just observing the vehicles on the road.

A double spy on the run

I thought the days when James Bond like spies were in fashion are long gone. Its a dying business. After all, the cold war ended a long time ago but guess what? I thought wrong. The papers today tell a story about a Russian double spy who disappeared and is now in USA. The Russians are in hot pursuit, warning that they know where he is and its only a matter of time before they get him. But then again, the Americans are saying this could be a hoax. The real double spy is someone else and that this warning is only a disguise to throw them off his track. However, the Russians replied............aah...this spy business is getting me in a tangle.

Light at the end of the tunnel

I saw the Malaysia vs Japan match yesterday. We lost 0-2. The Japanese were in control of the match throughout except for a few fleeting moments here and there. As for the Malaysians, I must say we have some players with great individual skills but collectively, were always one step behind. Still, from what I saw, all is not lost. I can see lights at the end of the tunnel. The only question is, how long is the tunnel?

Three highs!

Yes! 1526.53. That's the new high for the KLCI. Things are looking good. Can it go higher?

Yes! Our football team won the first game in the ongoing Asian games. We beat Kyrgyzstan 2-1. Its a new high for Malaysian football that has been in the doldrums for so long. Can it go further?

Yes! Torres scored a magnificent goal for Liverpool in the match against Chelsea. A curling shot from the edge of the penalty box that left the goalkeeper stranded. A high class performance from a man much maligned lately. Is he back to his best?

KLCI on the up

1524.69. That's the highest the KLCI has ever been. Will it be broken this week or will it ever? If its any indication, the Dow slids 37 points last night while stocks in Europe also were down. We wait and see! It is now at 1519 after moving up 8 points yesterday.

A lunch that was not

Its a no brainer to decide on the next restaurant after the first one was found to be closed or so you think. Its actually extremely difficult. By the time we made ours, lunch time was long gone. Yes...it took that long to decide.

The Pad or Tab or whatever you call it

I have been enjoying the tab that I bought recently. Features are almost similar to that of a smart phone but off course bigger. The part that is most handy is the e book. Just download the book you fancy from the e store and its ready to be read. How convenient. Never thought there would come a day when I will be reading from the e book!

Our football needs a saviour

Of all the sports in Malaysia, only football can draw crowds in the tens of thousand. Similarly, only football can get sponsors to the tune of millions of dollars. Yet our football is in a rut. Struggled to better the like of Cambodia or Loas and sure to be beaten by the Middle East teams such as Kuwait, Qatar and the rest. I'm not even talking of Japan and Korea yet! We remember fondly of the days when we were a team to be reckoned with but that was a good thirty to forty years ago. How come?

Keeping to the time

I am quite discipline when it comes to eating time. I will have breakfast at 7.30 am while lunch will be at 1 pm. These times are quite fixed in the sense that I follow them religiously, almost to the minute. Dinner is the only time I waver a bit, sometimes after Maghrib and sometimes after Isya. However, these happens only on weekdays. On weekends, its a different story altogether. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, the time go haywire. I know this is not good for the health but being at home, keeping to the time is furthest from the mind.

Unpopular governments

The new government in UK is fast becoming unpopular after it institute measures to curb overspending and reduced budget deficit. It is not surprising as the cuts in budget have hurt quite a few pockets. Even the queen is not spared. In US, Obama's Democrats suffered big losses in mid term elections. Apparently the measures taken by Obama to bring life to the economy is not impressing the people and they said so. It is really hard to please the people!

The right to be forgotten

In Europe, they are coming out with a cyber law that will give you 'the right to be forgotten'. What it actually means is that if some day you want to remove all your personal information from the net, all you need to do is to press a button and its gone. Not like now where information in the net lingers on some where some place even after you have deleted them. That is actually not a problem until somebody picked them and used it for less than legal purposes.

Its that time of the year again

On the way to Trengganu recently, it was raining all the way from Kuantan till almost reaching KT. They say the rainy season is just about to begin. Up the highlands in Cameron, I was told the rain is a little bit late this year. It should have been raining now but it didn't. Meanwhile, they wait for the inevitable. Today, Perlis, Kedah and Kelantan are underwater in some areas.
Looks like the North East Monsoon wind is here.....and so is the rain.

The goal that Nani scored

This must rank as one of the most bizarre goal ever. Bizarre not because of its artistry neither the skill but because of its comical nature. I can't help but laugh every time I see it. I thought this kind of things happened only in matches involving junior schoolboys but no...it happened in a professional match involving professional players. Real funny! It had to be seen to be believed.