Categories
Sports

[960] Of the stage is set for the killing

A Ohio State fan:

Fair use. AP Photo/The Plain Dealer, Marvin Fong.

A Michigan fan:

Fair use. AP Photo/Darron Cummmings

Needless to say, something big is going to happen. Bring on the drunkards from the down smelly south.

And yes, you Buckeyes may shout out loud “Muck Fichigan” to us Wolverines. But us Wolverines will be shouting back “Buck the Fuckeyes”.

Go Blue!

p/s – congratulations Princeton for your little victory against Yale.

NEW HAVEN, Nov. 11 — A year ago, Princeton was the team playing at home and holding a commanding lead, an Ivy League football title nearly in its grasp. Then, in a span of 74 seconds, Princeton gave up two touchdowns and lost to Yale, and the Tigers were unable to claim the league championship.

An Ivy League game. Hahahahahaha!

Sorry, I couldn’t help it.

Categories
Economics Politics & government

[959] Of Friedman predicts 2008

Thomas Friedman, a columnist at the NYT and of course, the author of The World is Flat, writes in his column:

Now that we’ve settled that, and now that we’ve had an election that clarified which country is most important in shaping U.S. politics in 2006 — Iraq — I’ve come to visit the country that’s most likely to shape U.S. politics in 2008: China.

The civil war in the Republican Party, which you are about to see, will be all about Iraq — whom to blame and how to withdraw before the issue wipes out more Republican candidates in 2008. But the coming civil war among the Democrats will be all about China.

I’ve mentioned earlier that I expect a more protectionist US.

A long time ago, in a land far, far away, I’ve blogged that I’d like to see John McCain as the next President in 2008. With a Democrats-dominated Congress, I think I’d like to see a Republican President. A protectionist US isn’t good for the world. I feel McCain would provide the counterweight to Democrats lefties tendency without seeing too much of religious conservatives running around in packs and ruining the lawn.

In fact:

WASHINGTON – Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), considered the front-runner for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, intends to launch an exploratory committee next week, GOP officials said Friday. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting a public statement from the four-term Arizona senator.

Run McCain, run!

If Obama’s running too — for the Presidency or the VP, regardless — it would be an interesting debate.

As for me, it would be simple. The person that comes closest to libertarian principle would be my pick. Well, maybe it wouldn’t be too simple a decision to make.

Categories
Liberty

[958] Of the moral police is too proud to apologize

I find this to be incredulous:

KUALA LUMPUR: It wasn’t exactly what he was asking for, but American tourist Randal K. Barnhart was happy to accept a verbal apology and a goodwill payment from the Langkawi Tourism Action Council (LTAC).

Why does the tourism authority had to clean up the mess the moral police left behind?

I applaud the tourism authority for rising up to the occasion.

Seeing how the religious department is pretending that nothing had happened, I couldn’t help but smirk when I read that the victim might sue the moral police:

Barnhart wanted three things: A letter of apology from the department, a letter that they will not be bothered again, and compensation of RM4,315 — the amount he paid to send his traumatised wife back to the United States.

[…]

Barnhart said: “They [the tourism authority] apologised to me although they were not at fault, and I understand their concern.”

But he added that he had heard nothing from the Religious Department and might take legal action, depending on his lawyer’s advice.

Just sue, Mr. Barnhart. Just sue them good. I hope you’re planning to force the religious department into bankruptcy.

Categories
Politics & government

[957] Of UMNO pot calling the PAS kettle black

Pardon me for being cynical when I read this earlier today:

KOTA BARU: The Kelantan Barisan Nasional has claimed that certain PAS leaders solicited millions of ringgit from timber contractors for the approval of concessions and logging permits.

Its chairman Datuk Seri Annuar Musa said the money was channelled to the party’s coffers, resulting in the state becoming poorer but enriching the party.

The allegation, based on investigations by the state Umno over 12 months, were raised in the State Legislative Assembly sitting yesterday.

Is UMNO in general, free of such practice?

Give me a break.

Allow me to be more cynical and say religion, it seems, is no guarantee of honesty as how religion is no guarantee of morality.

Categories
Economics

[956] Of Proton and Volkswagen, again

You guys have probably about the re-initiation of talk between Proton and Volkswagen:

KUALA LUMPUR (XFN-ASIA) – The government may approve a proposal to sell a 51 pct stake in the manufacturing operations of Proton Holdings Bhd to a foreign strategic partner, the Edge Daily reported.

Mind you, I haven’t had the chance to read the local paper lately. But I scourged around the internet and found this too:

Malaysian auto company Mofaz Group hopes to acquire part of the 38 per cent stake owned by state-controlled Khazanah Nasional Bhd in Proton and take control of the ailing national car maker, a report said yesterday.

Anyway, from The Star:

Fair use. The Star.

See that two earlier cascades early in the year?

That was when the first talk between the two parties collapsed in January 2006.

Regardless, the meeting between the two car makers means more resources for governance, less for bail outs. All else being equal of course.