Something that’s unheard of during my four years at Michigan – Michigan is unranked.
The winningest team in the history of college football team is unranked for the first time in more than seven years.
Michigan fell out of The Associated Press Top 25 on Sunday, ending a streak of 114 straight weeks in the rankings, which was the longest in the nation. The last poll that didn’t include the Wolverines was Oct. 18, 1998.
Michigan is 2-2. I’m 2-2, too and there goes the national championship.
Have you ever wondered why there are so many illegal foreign workers here in Malaysia? I’d imagine the most common answer is porous border. Now, how porous our borders are?
Well, the Malaysian-Singaporean border is very, very porous. Technically, you need to present some kind of identification to enter Malaysia – most of the times, it’s passport. In reality, there, you really don’t need any ID. Just cross the border at the immigration center; Malaysian immigration officers won’t mind.
At least, that was what I experienced. I’m not sure how widespread it is but I certainly hope that this is an isolated issue. My friend however told me that this happens all the time.
At the border, I spent approximately an hour negotiating red tapes – not too bad considering the amount of people there.
The Singaporean half was kind of easy. Choose which counter(s) is (are) for Malaysians, line up, go to an immigration officer, make sure to get your passport stamped and then you’re on your way to Johor, of which, the last time I checked, was still part of Malaysia. Johor’s restroom state convinces me that Johor is in fact a Malaysian state.
On the Malaysian half, it was, surprisingly, much more, goddamned, easier. Notice the number of superlative adjectives. Look out for counter with the longest line, cut through some non-existence lines, rumble through pass an opening of what seems to be a set of five electronic counters – four were closed by the way while three immigration officers were having a chat that concerned something apparently more important than national security – and then you are free to chew your bubble gum. Nope. No need to stamp or scan your passport.
Given that, I can’t help but wonder why all those aliens are trying very hard to get pass Malaysian navy in order to be in Malaysia illegally. There are, maybe, two ways of trying; trying hard or trying smart.
Here’s a tip to all that plan to enter Malaysia easily and illegally. Get a tourist visa from Singapore, cross the causeway, slip pass the Malaysian immigration officers while they are busy talking about nonsense and – voila! – Welcome to Malaysia.
Seriously though, our security down there is lagging badly. Wait. Lagging is the wrong word. Lacking should be very descriptive. The people in the immigration are being paid for doing practically nothing.
Hah. Continuing a short entry naming tradition initiated by a person stuck on an island down south and taken up by another person that originates from another island in the west. But I love Singapore.
In many superficial ways, Singapore doesn’t look or feel very different from Kuala Lumpur. Both cities have similar old shophouses that date well before pre-Independence period, filled with food stalls selling nothing too alien to Malaysians with modern highrises threatening to dominate the blue sky above while steel lions roaming the streets below.
I mean, c’mon, take a look at this photo.
If somebody else had taken this one, I wouldn’t be able to tell whether this shot was taken in Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. But of course, a visit to a restroom gave me a sudden pang in the head and quickly reminded me that I wasn’t in Malaysia anymore.
I took the photo at Chinatown, Singapore.
The one thing that I regret about this trip is the fact that most of my shots are either spoilt or I don’t like it. The ones that are decent need to be edited. So, I definitely need to pay Singapore a second visit in the near future and concentrate on shooting better pictures.
I also have decided that I need better camera for night shots. Most of the times when there is a lack of lighting, my current camera’s shutter speed is simply not suffice.
And then there were these two veggies.
Passersby were heard of saying an equivalence of ZOMG!!!!!1one, that’s huge in Chinese. By the way, I don’t know these guys. It just so happened that I shared the same table with them.
When I got home, my mom asked, “does Singapore still have trees?“
Dumbfounded by the question, I took a couple seconds to recuperate. I’m not sure why she asked that but maybe she meant green spaces. With regained composure, I replied, “no but they do have plastic trees though.”
My mom, being a loving mother, let it passed.
p/s – World Solar Challenge is on. A remark by world renown team Aurora, winner of 1999 WSC.
The action was really on today at the Hidden Valley racetrack as another five international teams arrived: Two teams from Taiwan of the three entered, the mighty University of Michigan fresh from their win in the North American Solar Challenge, AGU Agilia from Japan, and finally the new team from Calgary, Alberta.
Well, I’m off to Singapore soon. Ah, more pictures for my collection.
And since I can’t think of anything to write right now (really, just being plain lazy while watching lame p0rn featuring stupid female elf with male troll with oversized tusk), let’s piss off some animal rights extremists.
Live mollusks (cockle?) facing torture.
Dead mollusks facing digestion.
Somehow, I feel bad.
p/s – goddamn. I’m thinking too much.
Come to think of it, most of us can’t help but feeling humane only to humans, mammals, birds, reptiles and large fishes (practically, large animals). Other “lesser” beings like mollusks and small fishes seem to slip that kind of humane treatment. Caught fishes are left to suffocate in open air while salt water mollusks are drown in fresh water.
I wish I hadn’t tried to piss off those weirdos. Now, I’m pissed.
Need to stop thinking or I won’t consume fishes again, ever…
Every city has its own charm, including Kuala Lumpur.
I have no idea whether this shot points to north, south, east or west without looking at a map. The concept of direction in this city is meaningless. But who cares when the sky is gay, true?
Yet, the photo might suck a bit since there is this big ass glass screen in between the camera and the scenery(?).
And, wow, being highlighted by Jeff Ooi bites a lot of bandwidth. Thank goodness it happened in the middle of the month.
Still, thanks! Appreciate the traffic. But most of all, I glad I see him celebrate September 16. Hail to the Federation.
Again, no, I’m not a nationalist. I just love shouting and turn everybody’s excite switch on. To me, nationalist tends to have a closed mind but their passion is something to be admired. Nationalist, especially patriot, always move me – my mind works only after my heart stops. Maybe, that’s why I think I’m a bit brash.
Ah, the curse of being a youth.
p/s РGermans, please vote for Schr̦der. Schr̦der is green, by proxy.
pp/s – on second thought, I can determine the direction by observing the shadow on the buildings. I also know that this photo was taken after noon. So, this shot probably points anywhere between north and west.
Heh, astronomy and geography are handy. I know I used the moon for direction when I was “lost” in Sierra Nevada.
ppp/s – in New Zealand, Greens will be back in power since they have assured Labour of assistance. Labour is expected to win without majority.
p4/s – Michigan 55 – 0 East Michigan. Michigan is now 2 – 1. I’m 2 – 1 too!