Categories
Sports

[656] Of I love you Hawkeyes!

Yesterday, Michigan beat Indiana 41-14 (nice symmetrical score btw). But the better news is Iowa’s 20-10 victory over Wisconsin. Thanks to the Hawkeyes, Michigan now has a chance to become a joint champion in the Big Ten conference.

For that to happen however, Michigan needs to win against Ohio State while Michigan State must beat Penn State – if chance favors Michigan, the joint champions will be Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan. Both matches see teams from Michigan facing tough odds. But things look bright though – Michigan plays in Ann Arbor and State plays in East Lansing!

All Wolverines needs to do next week is not to mess up and pray that MSU somehow has the will to beat the Littany Lions.

So, Go Blue!

And go Sparties…

And yeah, buck the Fuckeyes!

Categories
Books, essays and others History & heritage Sports

[640] Of Burgess taught at the Malay College

I just found out that Anthony Burgess (), the great Anthony Burgess, taught at the Malay College during the 1950s. For those that don’t recognize Burgess, he wrote A Clockwork Orange. For those that have no idea what A Clockwork Orange is about, go read the book or watch Kubrick’s adaptation of it. If you don’t plan to read or watch it, boy, you’ll be missing something in your life.

History never fails to amaze me. The more one delves into piles of bits and bytes, more one realizes the grandeur of life and one’s relationship with it.

And suddenly, I feel the urge to read more Burgess’. What a good timing it is since I’m almost done with Lee Kuan Yew’ The Singapore Story (shamefully the abridged edition) while my Crichton’s Prey is probably lost somewhere in the Pacific. I need a something new to read and hey, there’s nothing wrong with another Burgess.

I think I’m going to read The Long Day Wanes which comprises of three parts – Time for a Tiger, The Enemy in the Blanket and Beds in the East. It appears that the trilogy is set in Malaya.

After reading it, I then may claim another page or three at Wikipedia by writing a review or three. Hah!

p/s – a tribute to Rosa Park. Her courage brought us a fairer world.

pp/s – Michigan haters, rejoice! Darn…

Categories
Society Sports

[638] Of Jamban Revolution

When I was attending Malaysia Forum at Stanford last May, there was this out worldly project dubbed the Jamban Revolution. Jamban is a crude Malay word for washroom. Capital or little ‘j’, it doesn’t matter but it was about an ideal; worthy, if I might add, of consideration. The revolution aimed to rally the masses to push for more hygienic Malaysian public washrooms. “Three cheers for an admirable cause”. I had yelled inside my head but I had serious doubt whether the project would take off. And indeed, it didn’t. However, I think first step towards the J-Revolution is a dry washroom.

Malaysians are used to wet lavatories and typical Malaysians usually have problem with it. Splashed water here and there, not swept, untaken care of – one could only wonder what one could step on on a bad hair day inside a Malaysian public washroom.

Worse, no amount of campaigns to raise civic consciousness may help improve Malaysian jamban scene. Nope. I’m convinced. Hell, if even the state of our jambans in our Parliament is not spared from the neglect, it will take more than a jamban ministry to take care of our washrooms. No matter how highly maintained a washroom might be, the atmosphere inside it will degrade exponentially. Almost uniquely Malaysians!

Hence, enter the dry regime!

The dry regime, the Jamban Revolution will bring on a new order in Malaysian jambans. A new order where the floor is clean, recycled paper towel hangs on a side waiting to be reap or even electronic dryers powered by green energy to save the trees!

Imagine the would-be outcomes of this glorious revolution, comrades!

Down with wet regime. They are nothing but mere impedance to our march towards a better society. A society which we may sit on a bowel and answer nature’s call without worries. A society which suspicious water patches are things of the past. A society free from fear.

Comrades! For Motherland, we must overthrow the dirty wet regime. Unite friends, brothers! For Motherland, comrades! We must unite! March forward to a greener pasture and shout it out loud brothers!

What do we want? Better jambans!

When do we want it? Now!

What do we want? Better jambans!

When do we want it? Now!

Viva la revolucion!

Alright. I think I’m getting too excited.

p/s – pee ass V was lucky.

Categories
Photography Sports

[633] Of Thun in Amsterdam

Well, it’s part of the time again when some of us will be able to watch the Champions League live while others could only hope that they could have the luxury of camping in front of the idiot’s box. I’m somewhere in the middle. I really want to watch Ajax – Thun game. However, no thanks to ESPN, the nearest thing to an Ajax match is Arsenal – Sparta.

As such, I’m not sure whether I’m blessed or not. The soccer god can’t seem to decide whether I deserve hell or heaven. So, he gave me a satellite dish.

Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved

But I suppose soccer god does reserve some love for me because one of my neighbors has only some sort of antenna.

Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved

The sky was exceptionally blue today. Only now do I know why blue is associated with freedom. After all these years, it had never occured to me until today. I’m loving the color blue even more. Heh. Go Blue!Thank heavens that the Wolverines beat the Nittany Lions. Maybe next year Paterno. Next year.

Anyway, back to soccer.

Really, I shouldn’t be too apprehensive about Ajax – Thun match. First of all, it’s a game in Amsterdam. It’s a home match. Secondly, though Ajax is not a superpower anymore, it’s Thun! It originates from a country that produces watch! And cheese. With holes! And also home of neutrality. In fact, Thun should be neutral whenever Ajax abuses Thun’s defense! Too many exclamation marks make this awkward! Don’t you think so! I mean, don’t you think so?

Then again, comparing Ajax performance against Thun, I and indeed Ajax have every reason to not take Thun lightly. Arsenal got lucky at Highbury while Sparta Prague, of which almost beat Ajax, got beaten by Thun!

In league action, Ajax several days was held scoreless against Heracles while Thun had a goal feast – they won 5 – 1 against other obscure team.

When I expressed my thoughts at Ajaxtalk.nl, a person replied, approximately, “…relax. We are Ajax and they are Thun”. One of them even replied in Dutch, “…’Holy sh**, it’s cold’, sprak een Amerikaanse toeriste toen zij het strand van Noordwijk af kwam lopen.” I’m not sure what it means since the translator doesn’t seem to be doing a good work. But it sounds sarcastic and I do think he don’t quite realize that I’m not an American.

Whatever it is, the ideal results from Group B would be Arsenal and Ajax’s win. This will increase Ajax’s chance of progressing to the next stage via second place.

Also, I hope all Italians lose. Nuff said.

Categories
Conflict & disaster Sports

[621] Of Liverpool vs. Chelsea: October drama

The match will start in a few minutes. I expect drama.

I also watched Arsenal – Birmingham match earlier and I must say, I am disappointed with the result; Arsenal won 1 – 0 and it was due to an unfortunate own goal. Birmingham deserved a point based on Taylor’s performance and the fact that they were down to ten men but still managed to keep Arsenal struggled.

God curses van Persie, Arsenal and Feyenoord.

Anyway, yeah, opera in Anfield!

p/s – halftime! 2 – 1 in Chelsea’s favor. Didier Drogba’s assist that led the Damien Duff’s goal is so cool that it’s hot.

pp/s – full time. 4 – 1. Liverpool players are going to get an earful of Benitez. And hands down. Didier Drogba is my man of the match. The first three goals were made possible by him. Also, Chelsea is fast becoming Rangers of England – they are dominating the English Premier League. Full point from eight matches while the nearest competitor, Charlton nine points behind with a game in hand.

ppp/s – should have mentioned this earlier but better late than never.

Imagine there’s no countries,
It isnt hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people
living life in peace…

– John Lennon (1940 – 1980)

Dedicated to people of Bali and everyone else that was there when it happened.