Author: Hafiz Noor Shams

For more about me, please read this.

Categories
Sports

[1360] Of ducks evolving into carnivores

They just had roasted wolverines:

ANN ARBOR — Before any absurd rationalizations about whatever happens the rest of this season for this Michigan offense, please note that it lost its way even before losing its veteran quarterback.

A week after the most shocking loss in Wolverines history, they suffered their most lopsided loss since Woody Hayes decided to go for two points “because I couldn’t go for three,” way back in 1968.

That kind of historic defeat doesn’t happen on one side of the ball, and as lousy as U-M’s defensive greenhorns have proven themselves, the high-profile offense is in no position to assess blame.

Another stunning home loss — 39-7, to Oregon — can not disguise the comprehensive breakdowns this time, including those by the unit upon which the Wolverines pinned their erstwhile national championship hopes.

National championship? Dead.

Heisman Trophy hopes? Dead.

Michigan as an offensive machine?

Dead. [How low can Michigan go? The Grand Rapids Press via MLive. September 8 2007]

Some fans are really angry.

The sky was a gentle blue, but it was raining on the Wolverines, a kind of rain that rarely falls on their home field. They were getting embarrassed, shown up, outplayed on national television in every way you can get outplayed in football.

And it was raining boos.

Yes, those were Michigan fans making that ugly noise, fans wearing maize-and-blue shirts, fans who came out believing last week’s shocking loss to Appalachian State was a fluke. And perhaps it was. Last week was an upset.

This was just a butt-kicking.

And it won’t be the last. Not if Michigan keeps playing this way. At the moment, the sweetest invitation you can get in college football may be a Saturday in Ann Arbor. The 39-7 defeat to Oregon, the fourth loss in a row for Michigan going back to last season — worst stretch since 1967 — wasn’t David shaking down Goliath. [MAIZE AND BOO: U-M loses game, crowd and respect after woeful 0-2 start. Mitch Albom. Detroit Free Press. September 8 2007]

Next week is Notre Dame and the venue is Ann Arbor. If that game turns out to be ugly, maybe Coach Carr should part away peacefully from Michigan.

And finally, from the New York Times:

Screenshot. Fair use. Copyrights by NYT.

Sigh…

Categories
Environment

[1359] Of a joke from Australia

APEC agrees to a climate change pact:

SYDNEY, Australia – Pacific Rim leaders on Saturday said the world needs to “slow, stop and then reverse” greenhouse gas emissions, and adopted modest goals to curb global warming. Thousands of demonstrators rallied to demand stronger action.

Some experts and activists dismissed as ineffective the program adopted by the presidents of the United States, China, Russia and leaders of other Asia-Pacific economies at an annual summit – which did not set goals for cutting countries’ output of polluting gases. [APEC Leaders Forge Climate Change Pact. Forbes. September 8 2007]

They agree actions need to be taken but they refuse to take action. This pact is as useless as APEC.

Categories
Economics

[1358] Mengenai Bajet 2008

Saya amat membenci perkataan bajet dan lebih mengemari akan perkataan belanjawan. Itu bagaimanapun adalah satu perkara yang remeh dan mungkin hanya mengambarkan keadaan terkini dunia bahasa Melayu. Tiada apa yang perlu digusarkan.

Bacaan pertama belanjawan negara untuk tahun 2008 akan dibentangkan di Dewan Rakyat Jumaat ini. Saya ingin bertanya, apa pendapat anda akan belanjawan kali ini?

Saya pasti ia akan berputar kepada satu paksi: pilihanraya. Oleh itu, investment horizon kerajaan pimpinan Abdullah Ahmad Badawi berkemungkinan akan berjangka pendek bertujuan untuk mempergunakan satu kelemahan kebanyakan manusia: tidak ramai mempunyai kebolehan untuk melihat disebalik bukit, walau serendah mana bukit itu.

Defisit perbelanjaan mungkin akan bertambah melalui perbelanjaan kerajaan dalam usaha untuk mengatasi kelemahan komponen eksport bersih yang disebabkan oleh tahap kecerdasan ekonomi Amerika Syarikat yang menurun serta penambahan nilai ringgit Malaysia berbanding dolar Amerika. Cukai pula mungkin akan dipotong, sekaligus memperkuatkan lagi kemungkinan pertambahan defisit perbelanjaan. Saya rasa, Keynes akan tersenyum seketika, jika ini benar.

Tetapi, kebolehan mendengar mungkin satu kebolehan yang semua individu yang rasional perlu ada. Mari kita berlaku adil dan dengar apa yang Perdana Menteri mahu dilakukan untuk tahun 2008.

Categories
Sports

[1356] Of I am still not over it

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Categories
Liberty Personal

[1355] Of one-night stand for you, eternity for me

It is finally the week after. Once the crowd was over with the euphoria of superficial freedom, a kind of liberty that one shouts out loud but have none of it, life returns to its dull elements.

We wake up in the morning, trying to beat others in the traffic, cursing while we are at it. Some are still in bed, still unemployed. But the sun rises, faithfully than most of us could ever be, as it has always been since time first began, whenever that was.

Some flags still fly. Some other are on the ground, stepped upon by unsuspecting strangers. The patriotism and the cry for liberty that many made on August 31 was an one night stand. One is only so enamored with the other only before the climax. Once satisfied, life goes on as if nothing happened. We go on our separate ways after talking so much about how we loved each other. How fake.

The sky was so blue that day. I half suspected it to rain like it had the days previously. Just like how it is raining drizzly today. I woke up late after going to bed at 4AM, doing things that I used to do in college, trying to relive life that I had. It was a fool’s errand but I did what I needed to do. But the morning was so blue that I woke up and stayed on my bed, staring outside, smiling at the cloudless sky. I thought I saw the color of liberty smiled back at me.

Liberty is a foul word these days, despite how many simpletons are shouting, we are free. They celebrate freedom but scorn others that cheer for larger freedom. Their freedom needed to be defined by fascists and they celebrate blindly in their cage. True freedom reaches for the sky, a concept a meek mind incapable of even imagining. Perhaps, the sky is too high and daunting to them. Socrates was right; prisoners chained since childhood in a cave are scared of the sun. The comfort of the cave spoils them. The darkness that imprisons them are their protector.

When the Prime Minister held up his hand while shouting senseless, I could not help but recall a certain German standing on a podium, addressing a sea of smartly dressed individuals in gray at the Nuremberg Rally. Maybe I am extrapolating too much. Silly me.

The birds sang, trying to convince to me to get out of bed, to grab the moment, to live the moment. Yet, sigh, it felt so good to just lie down without worry. I told the birds, shoo, go away and let me savor this peace of mine. The mind felt so empty, as if the world is alright. Let me have my peace, just this morning.

But time conspired against me. The sun rose too fast, the clock was running on steroid. The next thing I knew, the day ended. Yet, I felt so tired. For this one day, I told myself, let me stay in bed, please. I do not wish to hear to any more lie about on how free we are. For once, leave me be. Be damned with your sanctimonious speeches. I am tired of all of it and I want no part of it. I just want to be free.

Here comes another day, another to sweep your lies aside, another day to anger you for being different, for refusing to be part of your drone, for dismantling your narrow worldview. It is another day for liberty, another day for eternity.