Sunday, 27 April 2014
Liverpool FC -The 12th Player. Story Of The Kop
The Kop at Anfield dates back to 1905-06. At the end of that season which saw Liverpool lift the second of their league championships the directors at the club decided to reward the loyalty of the fans by building a new brick and cinder banking at the Walton Breck road end of the ground. It was christened as the Spion Kop by Ernest Jones in memory of the many scousers who died in battle over a hill in South Africa by the same name during the Boer War.
In 1928 The Kop was altered to terracing and a massive roof added to protect the thousands of fans who gathered to watch their beloved team play. Other teams named their stands as the Kop but the one at Anfield was the original and the best.
The terrace housed the greatest fans in the game and it was often thought that the fans were worth a goal start to the reds. They would try and suck the ball in if their team was losing and in one of the Kop's famous nights they put the fear of God into Inter Milan in a European semi-final.
The Kop was turned into a shrine in 1989 to the 96 fans who were innocently killed at Hillsborough. The fight for Justice still goes on today more than 10 years after the disaster. After the disaster new guidelines were issued about terracing at football games which brought to an end standing at top flight games. And so in 1994 the Kop changed from a terrace to an all-seater Kop Grandstand. The Kop's Last Stand came against Norwich City in May 1994 and Jeremy Goss went down in history as the last player to score in front of the famous terrace.
Pieces of the Kop were put up for charitable sale when the terrace was demolished and some can still be bought in aid of the Forget-Me-Not Campaign.
On 6 January 2007, Reclaim the Kop organised a protest during the third round FA Cup match between Liverpool and Arsenal which was broadcast live on the BBC. The intention of the protest, which was dubbed 'Truth Day', was to highlight the anger of Liverpool fans that the BBC had employed Kelvin MacKenzie as a presenter, in spite of his comments during late 2006 that he did not feel any regret that while working as editor of The Sun he had published an article in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster which fabricated claims about the behaviour of Liverpool fans- including that fans had urinated on police and stolen from the bodies of the dying. The claims made in the story were subsequently found to be untrue and dismissed by the Taylor Report. On the day of the protest 12,000 fans in the Kop were given cards to hold up, forming a mosaic spelling out the words "The Truth". The mosaic was visible while Liverpool supporters chanted "Justice for the 96" for six minutes, signifying the length of time that the Hillsborough game played on for before being abandoned. In addition to being visible during the BBC's transmission of the match, the protest was widely reported in national newspapers.
The Reclaim The Kop group were responsible for the demonstration in support of the club manager, Rafa Benitez, in November 2007. The demonstration is widely regarded as being a huge success. Massive TV and newspaper coverage saw images of several thousand fans parading round the streets of Anfield in support of their manager, and in protest against the unpopular regime of then club owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. The march and demo is featured in the film 'Passport to Liverpool' as an example of how Liverpool people will bond and take to the streets when faced with injustice and adversity.
Reclaim The Kop are currently engaged in expanding the so-called '306 section' at the rear of the Spion Kop at Anfield. Several hundred supporters - the RTK and likeminded fans - relocated their season tickets to this block in the famous Kop in the summer of 2007. It was so that fans who shared the same ideas and wanted to help promote the Kop's traditions could sit (or stand) together. It resulted in an improvement in both the volume, and the quality, of the vocal support from The Kop. Several old songs have made their reappearance amongst The Kop's repertoire and the RTK were responsible for the Fernando Torres song and its accompanying 'bounce'.
In 1928 The Kop was altered to terracing and a massive roof added to protect the thousands of fans who gathered to watch their beloved team play. Other teams named their stands as the Kop but the one at Anfield was the original and the best.
The terrace housed the greatest fans in the game and it was often thought that the fans were worth a goal start to the reds. They would try and suck the ball in if their team was losing and in one of the Kop's famous nights they put the fear of God into Inter Milan in a European semi-final.
The Kop was turned into a shrine in 1989 to the 96 fans who were innocently killed at Hillsborough. The fight for Justice still goes on today more than 10 years after the disaster. After the disaster new guidelines were issued about terracing at football games which brought to an end standing at top flight games. And so in 1994 the Kop changed from a terrace to an all-seater Kop Grandstand. The Kop's Last Stand came against Norwich City in May 1994 and Jeremy Goss went down in history as the last player to score in front of the famous terrace.
Pieces of the Kop were put up for charitable sale when the terrace was demolished and some can still be bought in aid of the Forget-Me-Not Campaign.
Reclaim The Kop
Reclaim The Kop, often referred to as RTK, is a campaign among fans of Liverpool Football Club to restore the matchday atmosphere within The Kop specifically, and Anfield more generally. It was established by a group of Liverpool fans in October 2006, and publicly launched in January 2007.
Formation
The Reclaim the Kop campaign attributes its origins to a UEFA Champions League match between Liverpool and Bordeaux on 31 October 2006, at which the group's instigators felt disappointed with the formulaic and disrespectful nature of the chants and songs used by Liverpool supporters. The campaign was subsequently formed as a means of promoting and disseminating traditional Liverpool fan songs, and generally campaigning for an improved atmosphere at Anfield, with greater levels of fan participation. In particular, the campaign claims that it intends to educate supporters about the uniqueness of Liverpool fan culture, and to offset the influence of sources of generic football fan culture, in particular the Sky Sports show Soccer AM.
Activities
The group and its aims were initially promoted by the official Liverpool F.C. website, which published a series of "Reclaim the Kop" articles highlighting and encouraging the uniqueness of Liverpool's support through features such as photographs of homemade banners, poems, and recordings of fans singing various traditional Liverpool football songs, with karaoke style displays of the words to help visitors to the site to "learn and sing" and join in. This promotion, however, did not run for the 10 weeks that had been originally planned and was dropped by the club's official website. The launch of the campaign briefly attracted the attention of Liverpool's local press and was reported on and discussed on local radio stations such as Radio City.
Reclaim The Kop, often referred to as RTK, is a campaign among fans of Liverpool Football Club to restore the matchday atmosphere within The Kop specifically, and Anfield more generally. It was established by a group of Liverpool fans in October 2006, and publicly launched in January 2007.
Formation
The Reclaim the Kop campaign attributes its origins to a UEFA Champions League match between Liverpool and Bordeaux on 31 October 2006, at which the group's instigators felt disappointed with the formulaic and disrespectful nature of the chants and songs used by Liverpool supporters. The campaign was subsequently formed as a means of promoting and disseminating traditional Liverpool fan songs, and generally campaigning for an improved atmosphere at Anfield, with greater levels of fan participation. In particular, the campaign claims that it intends to educate supporters about the uniqueness of Liverpool fan culture, and to offset the influence of sources of generic football fan culture, in particular the Sky Sports show Soccer AM.
Activities
The group and its aims were initially promoted by the official Liverpool F.C. website, which published a series of "Reclaim the Kop" articles highlighting and encouraging the uniqueness of Liverpool's support through features such as photographs of homemade banners, poems, and recordings of fans singing various traditional Liverpool football songs, with karaoke style displays of the words to help visitors to the site to "learn and sing" and join in. This promotion, however, did not run for the 10 weeks that had been originally planned and was dropped by the club's official website. The launch of the campaign briefly attracted the attention of Liverpool's local press and was reported on and discussed on local radio stations such as Radio City.
On 6 January 2007, Reclaim the Kop organised a protest during the third round FA Cup match between Liverpool and Arsenal which was broadcast live on the BBC. The intention of the protest, which was dubbed 'Truth Day', was to highlight the anger of Liverpool fans that the BBC had employed Kelvin MacKenzie as a presenter, in spite of his comments during late 2006 that he did not feel any regret that while working as editor of The Sun he had published an article in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster which fabricated claims about the behaviour of Liverpool fans- including that fans had urinated on police and stolen from the bodies of the dying. The claims made in the story were subsequently found to be untrue and dismissed by the Taylor Report. On the day of the protest 12,000 fans in the Kop were given cards to hold up, forming a mosaic spelling out the words "The Truth". The mosaic was visible while Liverpool supporters chanted "Justice for the 96" for six minutes, signifying the length of time that the Hillsborough game played on for before being abandoned. In addition to being visible during the BBC's transmission of the match, the protest was widely reported in national newspapers.
The Reclaim The Kop group were responsible for the demonstration in support of the club manager, Rafa Benitez, in November 2007. The demonstration is widely regarded as being a huge success. Massive TV and newspaper coverage saw images of several thousand fans parading round the streets of Anfield in support of their manager, and in protest against the unpopular regime of then club owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. The march and demo is featured in the film 'Passport to Liverpool' as an example of how Liverpool people will bond and take to the streets when faced with injustice and adversity.
Reclaim The Kop are currently engaged in expanding the so-called '306 section' at the rear of the Spion Kop at Anfield. Several hundred supporters - the RTK and likeminded fans - relocated their season tickets to this block in the famous Kop in the summer of 2007. It was so that fans who shared the same ideas and wanted to help promote the Kop's traditions could sit (or stand) together. It resulted in an improvement in both the volume, and the quality, of the vocal support from The Kop. Several old songs have made their reappearance amongst The Kop's repertoire and the RTK were responsible for the Fernando Torres song and its accompanying 'bounce'.
Saturday, 26 April 2014
The Hillsborough Tragedy. A Cover-Up Uncovered
Coming clean. When can Malaysian society evolve into one with a sense of fair play based on social consciousness and conscience? I doubt we can ever if we cannot overcome racial and religious prejudice, and also move away from welfare mentality towards social responsibility. This BBC reports how the truth has prevailed after 24 years!
I never knew of this cover-up and always thought it was due to crowd indiscipline and gatecrashing. 96 Liverpool fans died tragically that day (15th April 1989).
I never knew of this cover-up and always thought it was due to crowd indiscipline and gatecrashing. 96 Liverpool fans died tragically that day (15th April 1989).
Wednesday, 23 April 2014
Beauty Pageant Saudi Style.
Saw this on Facebook. Pun intended.
However, I think we should not be so quick to condemn this even though a cattle show remains a cattle show if we go by women's dignity alone.
As they say, beauty lies in the "eyes" of the beholder i.e. it is a matter of perception. In the case of the Miss Saudi contest, lets try this; take each of our 5 senses in turn starting with "Sight". Since the contestants are all "wrapped up" there is nothing much for the eyes feast on nor to differentiate (except the eyes per se of course).
"Touch" is taboo so that too is out!
What about "Smell" then? Since it is not a perfume brand contest, what can the judges be smelling? You go figure but I hardly think Smell is a criteria.
"Taste"? Well, I cannot imagine!
That leaves, "Aural" sense. Well maybe this is what the contestants are judged on. If this be the case, I wonder whether it is form or substance that is more important? Furthermore, if "Aural" sense is the main criteria, then contestants should merely be required to submit sound files of their voices!
In the final analysis, I think it is the "Sixth Sense" that is primary to the judges. How else can divine intervention be brought in to decide the winners? Hmmm...the Devil made them participate but God decided the winner! Can't imagine I just spent the last 10 minutes writing the load of crap above that you spent time reading! LOL!!!
Thursday, 17 April 2014
Wednesday, 26 March 2014
Luis Suarez - Icon
In August 2011, I posted this about Luis Suarez. Look at Suarez today and the defensive leaks are still there:
Luis Suarez will become Liverpool's greatest ever striker if he fires them to the title, says Steve McManaman
Uruguay star can surpass legendary names such as Robbie Fowler, Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush if he scores the goals that ends their 24-year wait for the English title
PUBLISHED 26 MARCH 2014 12:46 PM
Luis Suarez will become Liverpool’s greatest ever striker if he fires them to the Premier League title, according to Anfield icon Steve McManaman.
Suarez’s hat-trick in Saturday’s 6-3 win at Cardiff City took his tally to 28 goals in 25 league games this season, equalling Robbie Fowler’s Premier League-era record for the club with eight matches remaining.
And McManaman claimed the Uruguay star can surpass legendary names such as Fowler, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush and Roger Hunt in the pantheon of Liverpool greats if he scores the goals that ends their 24-year wait for the English title.
Liverpool go into Wednesday night’s home game with Sunderland four points behind leaders Chelsea with a game in hand and the form of Suarez will be crucial to their hopes of closing that gap.
He is also only six goals shy of Andy Cole and Alan Shearer’s record of 34 for a Premier League season, despite missing the opening five games of the campaign through suspension.
Speaking ahead of the Laureus World Sports Awards in Kuala Lumpur, McManaman said: “Suarez? Better than the ‘Growler’ [Fowler]. He’s going to break his record.
“He missed the first five games of the season and that suggests he will go down in Liverpool history.
“If he takes them to the league title, everybody will say he is the greatest centre-forward ever.
“Liverpool have been blessed with some centre-forwards haven’t they?
“You quickly forget because we live in the present, but the fact you are even talking about Suarez – after just a couple of years at the club – in the same breath as Robbie or Rushie or Kenny and whoever else shows how much he has learnt at Liverpool and how much he has improved.
“He had a great year last year and he has gone and bettered it despite playing fewer games."
Suarez tried to force through a move to Arsenal last summer but was ultimately convinced to stay and sign a new contract.
His form could spark renewed interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs but McManaman said: “I think he will stay anyway as he has just signed a new contract.
“Listen, it is important for superstars to play in the Champions League every week, that is the over-riding factor. You want to test yourself against the best players.
“Liverpool are on the right track. If they suddenly finished sixth there would be question marks but if they win the league or qualify for the Champions League, I don’t think there will be any assumption about whether he stays or goes.
“I think he will stay and it will be up to Liverpool to decide if they want to sell him rather than the other way round.”
Luis Suarez will become Liverpool's greatest ever striker if he fires them to the title, says Steve McManaman
Uruguay star can surpass legendary names such as Robbie Fowler, Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush if he scores the goals that ends their 24-year wait for the English title
PUBLISHED 26 MARCH 2014 12:46 PM
Luis Suarez will become Liverpool’s greatest ever striker if he fires them to the Premier League title, according to Anfield icon Steve McManaman.
Suarez’s hat-trick in Saturday’s 6-3 win at Cardiff City took his tally to 28 goals in 25 league games this season, equalling Robbie Fowler’s Premier League-era record for the club with eight matches remaining.
And McManaman claimed the Uruguay star can surpass legendary names such as Fowler, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush and Roger Hunt in the pantheon of Liverpool greats if he scores the goals that ends their 24-year wait for the English title.
Liverpool go into Wednesday night’s home game with Sunderland four points behind leaders Chelsea with a game in hand and the form of Suarez will be crucial to their hopes of closing that gap.
He is also only six goals shy of Andy Cole and Alan Shearer’s record of 34 for a Premier League season, despite missing the opening five games of the campaign through suspension.
Speaking ahead of the Laureus World Sports Awards in Kuala Lumpur, McManaman said: “Suarez? Better than the ‘Growler’ [Fowler]. He’s going to break his record.
“He missed the first five games of the season and that suggests he will go down in Liverpool history.
“If he takes them to the league title, everybody will say he is the greatest centre-forward ever.
“Liverpool have been blessed with some centre-forwards haven’t they?
“You quickly forget because we live in the present, but the fact you are even talking about Suarez – after just a couple of years at the club – in the same breath as Robbie or Rushie or Kenny and whoever else shows how much he has learnt at Liverpool and how much he has improved.
“He had a great year last year and he has gone and bettered it despite playing fewer games."
Suarez tried to force through a move to Arsenal last summer but was ultimately convinced to stay and sign a new contract.
His form could spark renewed interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs but McManaman said: “I think he will stay anyway as he has just signed a new contract.
“Listen, it is important for superstars to play in the Champions League every week, that is the over-riding factor. You want to test yourself against the best players.
“Liverpool are on the right track. If they suddenly finished sixth there would be question marks but if they win the league or qualify for the Champions League, I don’t think there will be any assumption about whether he stays or goes.
“I think he will stay and it will be up to Liverpool to decide if they want to sell him rather than the other way round.”
MH370
MH370. Watching things pan out since the plane went missing on 8th March, one thing stands out; prayer. Every Tom, Dick and Harry seems to be praying. Started with praying for the safety of crew/passengers lah (the pilot and co-pilot were excluded for a while), for their families lah, then for the souls of the crew/passengers lah, now for the safety of the Search & Rescue guys lah, and maybe later for the journalists lah, blah, blah, blah. There is so much outpouring of compassion and commiseration it seems almost unreal; even got some atheists praying.
Mind you, Tom, Dick and Harry on a normal day will not spare a thought even for worse on-going human tragedies globally of which the list is long and well known. Now, because of social media and a sensational occurrence involving a couple of hundred victims, Tom, Dick and Harry are falling over themselves to publicly show how much each cares. I wonder if most are motivated more by personal gratification or for grandstanding rather than genuine caring. I wonder if we put a price to the show in say, Facebook by imposing just RM20 per MH370 prayer message, we would get the kind of numbers?
For one who knows what it is like to grieve, my comment is made not in schadenfreude for MH370 victims and their families but for the stench of hypocrisy that pervades.
Mind you, Tom, Dick and Harry on a normal day will not spare a thought even for worse on-going human tragedies globally of which the list is long and well known. Now, because of social media and a sensational occurrence involving a couple of hundred victims, Tom, Dick and Harry are falling over themselves to publicly show how much each cares. I wonder if most are motivated more by personal gratification or for grandstanding rather than genuine caring. I wonder if we put a price to the show in say, Facebook by imposing just RM20 per MH370 prayer message, we would get the kind of numbers?
For one who knows what it is like to grieve, my comment is made not in schadenfreude for MH370 victims and their families but for the stench of hypocrisy that pervades.
Tuesday, 18 March 2014
Manchester United 0 Liverpool 3. How Did Liverpool Do It?
A defining game, an emphatic win. How was it achieved? This article in the Liverpool Echo is enlightening:
The ECHO takes a look at how the tactics of the boss helped the Reds at Old Trafford
Manchester United FC v Liverpool FC in the Barclays Premier League at Old Trafford Pictures: Andrew TeebayView gallery
Rodgers went with a diamond against United - similar to the one at Southampton, with Sterling taking the place of Coutinho at the tip of it.
This was crucial to combating Marouane Fellaini; the speed and surprising strength of Sterling flummoxed the Belgian throughout. While Coutinho may have been enveloped by the former Everton man, Sterling had the pace to drive past him, and once he was past him, Fellaini had no chance to catching him.
Sterling made three dribbles, although he was also dispossessed three times, while he attempted 30 passes with an 87% accuracy – good figures, particularly given he wasn't playing in his natural position.
The impact on Fellaini was also noticeable too. He successfully tackled Sterling just once, while Sterling went past him three times; he was also dispossessed three times, and was forced to play much deeper, the fear of Sterling on the counter attack pinning him back.
Indeed, Rodgers entire midfield shape was key to the victory. Joe Allen and Henderson were used slightly advanced of Gerrard and pressed their United counterparts.
United's penchant for crossing balls from wide areas has been well documented, but the presence of Allen and Henderson ensured their wide players – Adnan Januzaj and Juan Mata – had no time on the ball.
When either wide man received the ball, Henderson or Allen would do one of two things – look to retrieve it themselves, or cover for full-backs Jon Flanagan and Glen Johnson, who would press immediately.
Mata and Januzaj managed only two successful dribbles combined, while six failed. They also attempted just two crosses (United had 20 overall), neither finding the mark. Credit should go to Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel, who led the defence wonderfully, and made it compact; no wonder Januzaj and Mata thought twice about sending the ball into a cluster of white shirts.
With Moyes opting for a two-man midfield with Mata and Januzaj out wide, it also meant Liverpool dominated the centre. Mata and Januzaj were forced to come inside and help Fellaini and Michael Carrick. As a result, their threat from out wide was non-existent, with Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie both toiling, isolated, higher up the pitch. Eventually, Rooney was shifted wide by Moyes as a desperate last throw of a loaded dice.
Allen and Henderson made 17 tackles between them, winning nine of them, and managed two interceptions; the duo were also good in possession - Allen in particular, with 90% success rate - while Henderson had more touches (86) than any other Liverpool player.
Their endeavour and workmanlike approach epitomised the entire team, and permeated through it. There was uncertainty how Moyes would approach this game, whether it would be similar to his tactics frequently used in Merseyside derbies of old, or instead look to roll back the years to Sir Alex Ferguson's gung-ho, all-out attack.
Liverpool made all of that redundant, snapping at heels from the opening whistle; Flanagan, in particular, buzzing around the pedestrian home side. He would end with nine tackles, three tackles and seven clearances.
Make no mistake, teams do not go to Old Trafford and win 3-0 without individual brilliance. Gerrard, in particular, was phenomenal; penalties aside, he produced one of the finest midfield performances of a generation, building the platform for Allen, Henderson and Sterling ahead.
Suarez and Sturridge were pests throughout, too; at one point in the second half, with United edging on top, the pair exchanged passes from 25 yards – Suarez with the outside of his knitted boot, Sturridge with his leather instep. It showed how capable they were of getting a third; it panicked United into not pushing high up the pitch again.
But that individuality counts for nothing without intelligence to supplement it. The Mona Lisa would simply be the wife of Francesco del Giocondo if not for paintbrushes, after all.
Rodgers is adorning his own canvas with colours bright and beautiful. For all the talk of Suarez, Sturridge, Gerrard and others – and how the talk is deserved – it is time to recognise that the excellence on the pitch is being matched in the dugout. The two go hand-in-hand.
And so, for one moment, focus on the how. How have Liverpool managed to get themselves into this position, and how did they win 3-0 at Old Trafford? The answer is not limited to this alone, but needs to be said regardless: Brendan Rodgers.
The ECHO takes a look at how the tactics of the boss helped the Reds at Old Trafford
Manchester United FC v Liverpool FC in the Barclays Premier League at Old Trafford. Brendan Rodgers on the touchline. Pic Andrew Teebay.
This season has raised a number of questions for Liverpool, but most pertinent of all is this: how?
It is a question that can sometimes be forgotten, neglected even.
As Luis Suarez slaloms through another set of limbs, or as Daniel Sturridge glances over his shoulder and takes aim, or as Jordan Henderson runs and runs some more, the question of how? is hardly asked. Instead, there is just an embrace that it simply is happening.
But it is something that should be asked. The Reds have gone from seventh to genuine title contenders in a season, scoring three or more goals in 16 league matches – including five against Tottenham and Arsenal, four against Everton, and three against Manchester United.
It is those three goals against United which has catapulted Liverpool into the title race, and into public consciousness. Brendan Rodgers has spoken of conversations throughout the season; right now, his side are the hottest topic in Europe and have tongues wagging, moving just four points adrift of Chelsea with a game in hand.
But how did it happen? Specifically, how did Rodgers take his side to Old Trafford and produce one of the most comprehensive beatings to United in recent memory?
To simply point at Suarez, Sturridge and Steven Gerrard would be unfair; so, too, would wryly suggesting David Moyes' presence in the home dugout was the sole contributing factor.
If the United result is one to announce the Reds as a genuine runner in this title race, then it should also herald Rodgers as one of the league's finest tacticians.
It is something he, arguably, doesn't receive enough praise for. But this was another big game won with his indelible imprint upon it.
Against Everton, his deployment of Suarez, Sturridge and Raheem Sterling across the front three left John Stones in a spin; against Arsenal, his use of Philippe Coutinho as a third midfielder opened up what had been – until then – a solid back-line.
This season has raised a number of questions for Liverpool, but most pertinent of all is this: how?
It is a question that can sometimes be forgotten, neglected even.
As Luis Suarez slaloms through another set of limbs, or as Daniel Sturridge glances over his shoulder and takes aim, or as Jordan Henderson runs and runs some more, the question of how? is hardly asked. Instead, there is just an embrace that it simply is happening.
But it is something that should be asked. The Reds have gone from seventh to genuine title contenders in a season, scoring three or more goals in 16 league matches – including five against Tottenham and Arsenal, four against Everton, and three against Manchester United.
It is those three goals against United which has catapulted Liverpool into the title race, and into public consciousness. Brendan Rodgers has spoken of conversations throughout the season; right now, his side are the hottest topic in Europe and have tongues wagging, moving just four points adrift of Chelsea with a game in hand.
But how did it happen? Specifically, how did Rodgers take his side to Old Trafford and produce one of the most comprehensive beatings to United in recent memory?
To simply point at Suarez, Sturridge and Steven Gerrard would be unfair; so, too, would wryly suggesting David Moyes' presence in the home dugout was the sole contributing factor.
If the United result is one to announce the Reds as a genuine runner in this title race, then it should also herald Rodgers as one of the league's finest tacticians.
It is something he, arguably, doesn't receive enough praise for. But this was another big game won with his indelible imprint upon it.
Against Everton, his deployment of Suarez, Sturridge and Raheem Sterling across the front three left John Stones in a spin; against Arsenal, his use of Philippe Coutinho as a third midfielder opened up what had been – until then – a solid back-line.
Manchester United FC v Liverpool FC in the Barclays Premier League at Old Trafford Pictures: Andrew TeebayView gallery
Rodgers went with a diamond against United - similar to the one at Southampton, with Sterling taking the place of Coutinho at the tip of it.
This was crucial to combating Marouane Fellaini; the speed and surprising strength of Sterling flummoxed the Belgian throughout. While Coutinho may have been enveloped by the former Everton man, Sterling had the pace to drive past him, and once he was past him, Fellaini had no chance to catching him.
Sterling made three dribbles, although he was also dispossessed three times, while he attempted 30 passes with an 87% accuracy – good figures, particularly given he wasn't playing in his natural position.
The impact on Fellaini was also noticeable too. He successfully tackled Sterling just once, while Sterling went past him three times; he was also dispossessed three times, and was forced to play much deeper, the fear of Sterling on the counter attack pinning him back.
Indeed, Rodgers entire midfield shape was key to the victory. Joe Allen and Henderson were used slightly advanced of Gerrard and pressed their United counterparts.
United's penchant for crossing balls from wide areas has been well documented, but the presence of Allen and Henderson ensured their wide players – Adnan Januzaj and Juan Mata – had no time on the ball.
When either wide man received the ball, Henderson or Allen would do one of two things – look to retrieve it themselves, or cover for full-backs Jon Flanagan and Glen Johnson, who would press immediately.
Mata and Januzaj managed only two successful dribbles combined, while six failed. They also attempted just two crosses (United had 20 overall), neither finding the mark. Credit should go to Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel, who led the defence wonderfully, and made it compact; no wonder Januzaj and Mata thought twice about sending the ball into a cluster of white shirts.
With Moyes opting for a two-man midfield with Mata and Januzaj out wide, it also meant Liverpool dominated the centre. Mata and Januzaj were forced to come inside and help Fellaini and Michael Carrick. As a result, their threat from out wide was non-existent, with Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie both toiling, isolated, higher up the pitch. Eventually, Rooney was shifted wide by Moyes as a desperate last throw of a loaded dice.
Allen and Henderson made 17 tackles between them, winning nine of them, and managed two interceptions; the duo were also good in possession - Allen in particular, with 90% success rate - while Henderson had more touches (86) than any other Liverpool player.
Their endeavour and workmanlike approach epitomised the entire team, and permeated through it. There was uncertainty how Moyes would approach this game, whether it would be similar to his tactics frequently used in Merseyside derbies of old, or instead look to roll back the years to Sir Alex Ferguson's gung-ho, all-out attack.
Liverpool made all of that redundant, snapping at heels from the opening whistle; Flanagan, in particular, buzzing around the pedestrian home side. He would end with nine tackles, three tackles and seven clearances.
Manchester United FC v Liverpool FC in the Barclays Premier League at Old Trafford. Jon Flanagan challenges Marouane Fellaini. Pic Andrew Teebay.
Make no mistake, teams do not go to Old Trafford and win 3-0 without individual brilliance. Gerrard, in particular, was phenomenal; penalties aside, he produced one of the finest midfield performances of a generation, building the platform for Allen, Henderson and Sterling ahead.
Suarez and Sturridge were pests throughout, too; at one point in the second half, with United edging on top, the pair exchanged passes from 25 yards – Suarez with the outside of his knitted boot, Sturridge with his leather instep. It showed how capable they were of getting a third; it panicked United into not pushing high up the pitch again.
But that individuality counts for nothing without intelligence to supplement it. The Mona Lisa would simply be the wife of Francesco del Giocondo if not for paintbrushes, after all.
Rodgers is adorning his own canvas with colours bright and beautiful. For all the talk of Suarez, Sturridge, Gerrard and others – and how the talk is deserved – it is time to recognise that the excellence on the pitch is being matched in the dugout. The two go hand-in-hand.
And so, for one moment, focus on the how. How have Liverpool managed to get themselves into this position, and how did they win 3-0 at Old Trafford? The answer is not limited to this alone, but needs to be said regardless: Brendan Rodgers.
Sunday, 16 March 2014
MH370 - Be Careful What You Pray For
Now the world can see EVERYTHING in Malaysia is about politics or will be politicized. However, in this case from an article in the Daily Mail, the truth is beginning to look stranger than fiction...
Monday, 10 March 2014
MH370. Hoping For Miracles?
Almost everyone is abuzz since early Saturday about Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 Boeing 777 that has gone missing en route to Beijing. Circumstances and questions surrounding the disappearance of the plane are already well publicized and need not be reiterated here. Many pray to God for a miraculous outcome while the rest of us hope somehow for the best.
That the plane is no longer in the air is obvious (or is it?). For me, until the wreckage is found the most likely "miracle" people on MH370 are still alive is that extraterrestrials are involved. Maybe we should be looking up instead of down.
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| Courtesy of Malaysian Insider |
That the plane is no longer in the air is obvious (or is it?). For me, until the wreckage is found the most likely "miracle" people on MH370 are still alive is that extraterrestrials are involved. Maybe we should be looking up instead of down.
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| Alien Mother-ship
6 Important Facts About Flight MH370
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Monday, 3 March 2014
Who Are We? Proud To Be Chinese...
Something to ponder. The following was circulating on the Net:
EVERYTHING is BIG in CHINA e.g. The Great Wall of China
With 1.3 billion Chinese in China, mathematically speaking one out of every five people is a Chinese in the world. It is said that wherever the ocean touches land, there the Chinese be. Wherever the Chinese is he survives, in fact more than survive, often making indelible contributions to the community where he lives. He could well be in isolation, but his resources know no bound . . . his initiatives no less . . . his resilience, diligence, dignity; pride second to none. The Chinese people are the most unique “natural resources” of the Chinese nation.
The Chinese as a race, I always contend, are the most assiduous in their economic pursuit, totally self-reliant, resourceful, diligent, resilient and smiling even under threat. In a word, Chinese are great survivors!
The latest book “One Man’s View” by LKY, Spore’s Minister Mentor covering similar themes about the Chinese has been receiving good worldwide commendations. There’s no basis of it being “racist” as facts bespeak the gospel truth. – Paul Chong
Here below Chan-Lui Lee presents some very basic plain truth of the Chinese.
Address by Chan-Lui Lee, Ph.D. Honorary Life Member & Past President, AFS Melbourne, Australia.
Proud to be born an Overseas Chinese. Proud to be born a Chinese. Each and every race has their own Pride and so long as they do not infringe into others’ right, I don’t see any problem of them taking their own PRIDE, wonder why some Malaysian politicians are so taboo about this? Why do Chinese people work so hard to succeed in life? Here is the plain truth.
#1. There are over 1 billion of us on this earth. We are like photostat copies of each other. You get rid of one,5 magically appears (like ballot boxes). Yes, it is scary, especially for us. We acknowledge that we are replaceable, thus we are not particularly ‘special’. If you think you are smart, there are a few thousand more people smarter than you. If you think you are strong, there are a few thousand people stronger than you.
#2. We have been crawling all over this earth for far more centuries that most civilizations. Our DNA is designed for survival. We are like cockroaches. Put us anywhere on earth and we will make a colony and thrive. We survive on anything around us and make the best of it. Some keep migrating but others will stay and multiply.
#3. NOBODY cares if we succeed as individuals or not. But our families take pride in knowing we have succeeded. Yes, some will fail. We take nothing for granted. We don’t expect privileges to fall on our laps. No one owes us anything.
#4. We know we have nothing to lose if we try to succeed. Thus, we have no fear trying. That is why Chinese are addicted to gambling.We thrive on taking risks. All or nothing.
#5. From young we are taught to count every cent. What we take for granted like money management, I have found out recently, is not something other cultures practice at home with their children. It surprised me. But truth is not all societies or cultures teach their young this set of skills because it is rude to them. Yes, most of us can count because we are forced to and the logic of money is pounded into us from the beginning of time (when mama tells us how much she has spent on our milk and diapers) .
#6. We acknowledge life cycles. We accept that wealth in a family stays for three generations (urban myth?). Thus, every 4th generation will have to work from scratch i.e. the first generation earns the money from scratch, second generation spends the money on education, third generation gets spoiled and wastes all the inheritance. Then we are back to square one. Some families hang on to their wealth a little longer than most.
#7. It is our culture to push our next generation to do better than the last. Be smarter. Be stronger. Be faster. Be more righteous. Be more pious. Be more innovative. Be more creative. Be richer. Be everything that you can be in this lifetime. Be KIASU.
#8. Our society judges us by our achievements… and we have no choice but to do something worthwhile because Chinese New Year comes around every year and Chinese relatives have no qualms about asking you straight in your face – how much are you making? When was your last promotion? How big is your office? What car do you drive? Where do you stay? You have boyfriend? You have girlfriend? When are you getting married? When are you having children? When is the next child? When you getting a boy? Got maid yet? Does your company send you overseas? etc etc etc. It NEVER ENDS… so, we can’t stop chasing the illusive train – we are damned to a materialistic society. If you are not Chinese, consider yourself lucky!
#9. We have been taught from young – if you have two hands, two feet, two eyes, and a mouth, what are you doing with it? People with no hands can do better than you (and the OKU artists do put us to shame)
The Future of China
Chan-Lui Lee, Ph.D. , a marine biologist, Senior Lecturer, Northern Territory University and Chinese migrant, Honorary Life Member & Past President, AFS Melbourne, Australia.
The Battle Of China
The evil that men do lives after them. Every person of Chinese descent ought to watch this historical documentary.
Contrast this with current US propaganda on China, also note they acknowledge even then that Tibet and Xinjiang were part of greater China.
This is excellent footage and archival material on the invasion of China by the Japanese. I sat through the 7 videos to see how our ancestors fought back the invaders despite overwhelming odds and unspeakable atrocities committed, particularly in Nanking in 1937. Now we know why China had to be what she is today, for never again will she suffer humiliation from foreign invaders. China has come of age, reminiscent of days of old, with a culture that goes back four thousand years. How true: China may be invaded but never, never conquered .
BATTLE OF CHINA
World War II Films about China - produced by US Government. A very good history lesson. Worth viewing the whole 7 segments.
Every Chinese should watch this wonderful series of documentary films, to really learn about China and the true history.
The amazing adversities and abilities of our ancestors can inspire us to take it easy with any difficulties we may have in our life and become a winner.
The film is in English with very good Chinese subtitles. Now go to:
WW-II 1
WW-II 2
WW-II 3
WW-II 4
WW-II 5
WW-II 6
WW-II 7
EVERYTHING is BIG in CHINA e.g. The Great Wall of China
With 1.3 billion Chinese in China, mathematically speaking one out of every five people is a Chinese in the world. It is said that wherever the ocean touches land, there the Chinese be. Wherever the Chinese is he survives, in fact more than survive, often making indelible contributions to the community where he lives. He could well be in isolation, but his resources know no bound . . . his initiatives no less . . . his resilience, diligence, dignity; pride second to none. The Chinese people are the most unique “natural resources” of the Chinese nation.
The Chinese as a race, I always contend, are the most assiduous in their economic pursuit, totally self-reliant, resourceful, diligent, resilient and smiling even under threat. In a word, Chinese are great survivors!
The latest book “One Man’s View” by LKY, Spore’s Minister Mentor covering similar themes about the Chinese has been receiving good worldwide commendations. There’s no basis of it being “racist” as facts bespeak the gospel truth. – Paul Chong
Here below Chan-Lui Lee presents some very basic plain truth of the Chinese.
Address by Chan-Lui Lee, Ph.D. Honorary Life Member & Past President, AFS Melbourne, Australia.
Proud to be born an Overseas Chinese. Proud to be born a Chinese. Each and every race has their own Pride and so long as they do not infringe into others’ right, I don’t see any problem of them taking their own PRIDE, wonder why some Malaysian politicians are so taboo about this? Why do Chinese people work so hard to succeed in life? Here is the plain truth.
#1. There are over 1 billion of us on this earth. We are like photostat copies of each other. You get rid of one,5 magically appears (like ballot boxes). Yes, it is scary, especially for us. We acknowledge that we are replaceable, thus we are not particularly ‘special’. If you think you are smart, there are a few thousand more people smarter than you. If you think you are strong, there are a few thousand people stronger than you.
#2. We have been crawling all over this earth for far more centuries that most civilizations. Our DNA is designed for survival. We are like cockroaches. Put us anywhere on earth and we will make a colony and thrive. We survive on anything around us and make the best of it. Some keep migrating but others will stay and multiply.
#3. NOBODY cares if we succeed as individuals or not. But our families take pride in knowing we have succeeded. Yes, some will fail. We take nothing for granted. We don’t expect privileges to fall on our laps. No one owes us anything.
#4. We know we have nothing to lose if we try to succeed. Thus, we have no fear trying. That is why Chinese are addicted to gambling.We thrive on taking risks. All or nothing.
#5. From young we are taught to count every cent. What we take for granted like money management, I have found out recently, is not something other cultures practice at home with their children. It surprised me. But truth is not all societies or cultures teach their young this set of skills because it is rude to them. Yes, most of us can count because we are forced to and the logic of money is pounded into us from the beginning of time (when mama tells us how much she has spent on our milk and diapers) .
#6. We acknowledge life cycles. We accept that wealth in a family stays for three generations (urban myth?). Thus, every 4th generation will have to work from scratch i.e. the first generation earns the money from scratch, second generation spends the money on education, third generation gets spoiled and wastes all the inheritance. Then we are back to square one. Some families hang on to their wealth a little longer than most.
#7. It is our culture to push our next generation to do better than the last. Be smarter. Be stronger. Be faster. Be more righteous. Be more pious. Be more innovative. Be more creative. Be richer. Be everything that you can be in this lifetime. Be KIASU.
#8. Our society judges us by our achievements… and we have no choice but to do something worthwhile because Chinese New Year comes around every year and Chinese relatives have no qualms about asking you straight in your face – how much are you making? When was your last promotion? How big is your office? What car do you drive? Where do you stay? You have boyfriend? You have girlfriend? When are you getting married? When are you having children? When is the next child? When you getting a boy? Got maid yet? Does your company send you overseas? etc etc etc. It NEVER ENDS… so, we can’t stop chasing the illusive train – we are damned to a materialistic society. If you are not Chinese, consider yourself lucky!
#9. We have been taught from young – if you have two hands, two feet, two eyes, and a mouth, what are you doing with it? People with no hands can do better than you (and the OKU artists do put us to shame)
#10. Ironically, the Chinese also believe in giving back to save their wretched materialistic souls. Balance is needed.
The more their children succeed in life, the more our parents will give back to society (not for profit) as gratitude for the good fortune bestowed on their children. Yes. That is true. And that is why our society progresses forward in all conditions. Nobody pities us. We accept that. No one owes us anything. We know that. There are too many of us for charity to reach all of us. We acknowledge that. But that does not stop us from making a better life. This lifetime Opportunity is as we make of it. So, pardon us if we feel obliged to make a better place for ourselves in this country we call home.
It is in our DNA to progress forward for a more comfortable life. But if history were to be our teacher, look around this globe. Every country has a Chinatown (seriously) but how many governments/countries are ‘taken’ over by the Chinese people. Don’t be afraid of us overwhelming your majority, we are not looking to conquer. If we have moved away from China and Chinese governed countries, we are NOT looking for another country to administer. Our representatives are only there to look after our collective welfare. They are duty bound. We prefer to blend in and enjoy the fruits of our labor. We enjoy the company of like minded people of all races. After all, we are only passing through a small period in the history of time . . . so, use our skills and we can all progress forward together.
The more their children succeed in life, the more our parents will give back to society (not for profit) as gratitude for the good fortune bestowed on their children. Yes. That is true. And that is why our society progresses forward in all conditions. Nobody pities us. We accept that. No one owes us anything. We know that. There are too many of us for charity to reach all of us. We acknowledge that. But that does not stop us from making a better life. This lifetime Opportunity is as we make of it. So, pardon us if we feel obliged to make a better place for ourselves in this country we call home.
It is in our DNA to progress forward for a more comfortable life. But if history were to be our teacher, look around this globe. Every country has a Chinatown (seriously) but how many governments/countries are ‘taken’ over by the Chinese people. Don’t be afraid of us overwhelming your majority, we are not looking to conquer. If we have moved away from China and Chinese governed countries, we are NOT looking for another country to administer. Our representatives are only there to look after our collective welfare. They are duty bound. We prefer to blend in and enjoy the fruits of our labor. We enjoy the company of like minded people of all races. After all, we are only passing through a small period in the history of time . . . so, use our skills and we can all progress forward together.
The Future of China
Chan-Lui Lee, Ph.D. , a marine biologist, Senior Lecturer, Northern Territory University and Chinese migrant, Honorary Life Member & Past President, AFS Melbourne, Australia.
******************************************************
Every person of Chinese descent ought to watch this historical
documentary
Produced by the Americans.
The Battle Of China
Subject:
The Battle Of China
The evil that men do lives after them. Every person of Chinese descent ought to watch this historical documentary.
Contrast this with current US propaganda on China, also note they acknowledge even then that Tibet and Xinjiang were part of greater China.
This is excellent footage and archival material on the invasion of China by the Japanese. I sat through the 7 videos to see how our ancestors fought back the invaders despite overwhelming odds and unspeakable atrocities committed, particularly in Nanking in 1937. Now we know why China had to be what she is today, for never again will she suffer humiliation from foreign invaders. China has come of age, reminiscent of days of old, with a culture that goes back four thousand years. How true: China may be invaded but never, never conquered .
BATTLE OF CHINA
World War II Films about China - produced by US Government. A very good history lesson. Worth viewing the whole 7 segments.
Every Chinese should watch this wonderful series of documentary films, to really learn about China and the true history.
The amazing adversities and abilities of our ancestors can inspire us to take it easy with any difficulties we may have in our life and become a winner.
The film is in English with very good Chinese subtitles. Now go to:
WW-II 1
WW-II 2
WW-II 3
WW-II 4
WW-II 5
WW-II 6
WW-II 7
Monday, 24 February 2014
Back To School...
I have been aware of the Khan Academy for some time now and was expecting it to develop the way it has today. This is the great equalizer for whole generations of young Malaysians (since the early 70s) who have been marginalized by a secondary school education system designed to social engineer an "educated society" with more form than substance; a scheme of grand design that was to bring about "equality" albeit at a substandard level. A system that created whole generations of "literate illiterate" Malaysians as by extension, the standards in tertiary education suffered the same fate. Just take a close look at the "quality" of graduates in the last two decades who are expected to drive our K-economy!
An immediate effect of the system was the proliferation of students with double digit numbers of As never before heard of let alone seen. Certainly, the average IQ level of young Malaysians did not increase overnight! The obvious lowering of the bar eventually affected all races and this was only the academic aspect of schooling! Another major factor was and still is the downgrading of English as a medium of instruction. Socio-political factors which need no further elaboration here, drew clear demarcation lines that divided the races in schools. The fading of meritocracy put paid to any chance of the best shining through and I think the last nail is the vicious cycle that started when the very products of this education system became fodder for sprouting teacher training colleges which supplied substandard teachers back to the schools.
My children were direct victims of this system as they learned virtually nothing useful from their years in so-called government school. It was frustrating to see how they "progressed" through the system yet their knowledge base was obviously way inferior compared to what my own generation gained from secondary schooling.
Yes, they are computer literate/savvy but that was not acquired in school. I shudder to imagine what they would be today if as parents we had not given them access to computers and the internet at home. Parents with my same dilemma can now rest easy. Go check out Khan Academy. Alas, the medium of instruction is English which justifies the efforts of the Parents Action Group for Education (PAGE).
Personally, I believe the best thing I could ever give my children was to teach them to think and imbue the attitude that we can master ANYTHING if only we are interested enough to want to learn more. J.J. is an interesting case in point. Since the left-brain/right-brained theory is now considered a myth and outdated I cannot explain why he is so much like Jeannie; they learn so well through audio visual means. Thank goodness for You Tube!!!
I chose not to point J.J. towards Khan Academy in hope that he would discover it himself. And discover it he did! He can now begin his personal journey to "fill in the gaps" and his first subject of choice is biology which begins with "Evolution and Natural Selection". He just told us he refuses to be a "lesser ape"!
Krystyn on the other hand is not so into learning from You Tube but being gifted with speed reading ability, Google is her most useful source of knowledge although she too can gain lots from the Khan Academy.
An immediate effect of the system was the proliferation of students with double digit numbers of As never before heard of let alone seen. Certainly, the average IQ level of young Malaysians did not increase overnight! The obvious lowering of the bar eventually affected all races and this was only the academic aspect of schooling! Another major factor was and still is the downgrading of English as a medium of instruction. Socio-political factors which need no further elaboration here, drew clear demarcation lines that divided the races in schools. The fading of meritocracy put paid to any chance of the best shining through and I think the last nail is the vicious cycle that started when the very products of this education system became fodder for sprouting teacher training colleges which supplied substandard teachers back to the schools.
My children were direct victims of this system as they learned virtually nothing useful from their years in so-called government school. It was frustrating to see how they "progressed" through the system yet their knowledge base was obviously way inferior compared to what my own generation gained from secondary schooling.
Yes, they are computer literate/savvy but that was not acquired in school. I shudder to imagine what they would be today if as parents we had not given them access to computers and the internet at home. Parents with my same dilemma can now rest easy. Go check out Khan Academy. Alas, the medium of instruction is English which justifies the efforts of the Parents Action Group for Education (PAGE).
Personally, I believe the best thing I could ever give my children was to teach them to think and imbue the attitude that we can master ANYTHING if only we are interested enough to want to learn more. J.J. is an interesting case in point. Since the left-brain/right-brained theory is now considered a myth and outdated I cannot explain why he is so much like Jeannie; they learn so well through audio visual means. Thank goodness for You Tube!!!
Krystyn on the other hand is not so into learning from You Tube but being gifted with speed reading ability, Google is her most useful source of knowledge although she too can gain lots from the Khan Academy.
Tuesday, 28 January 2014
The Next Generation
I will be 55 in a few days. A watershed that in the preceding years I had often wondered what my children will be. They have grown and Jeannie would have been proud.
Krystyn Cheah, who is Mummy's girl and Papa's daughter; a potent combination to add to her inborn gifts. She has always had to be mature beyond her years.
The paradox that is J.J. Cheah - behind that clownish disposition, lies a serious, sensitive and determined young man who will be a better man than his father.
Prince Cheah is a gift to us in so many ways. Transcending generations in the manner that only he can. He means different things to each because each of us means different things to him.
I need no longer wonder.
Krystyn Cheah, who is Mummy's girl and Papa's daughter; a potent combination to add to her inborn gifts. She has always had to be mature beyond her years.
The paradox that is J.J. Cheah - behind that clownish disposition, lies a serious, sensitive and determined young man who will be a better man than his father.
Prince Cheah is a gift to us in so many ways. Transcending generations in the manner that only he can. He means different things to each because each of us means different things to him.
I need no longer wonder.
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| Krystyn Cheah the big sister |
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| Cheah Jie Juan...the only male Cheah offspring in the line |
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| Prince Cheah...he transcends generations |
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| The Cheahs - Once Upon A Time In China |
Friday, 24 January 2014
Wednesday, 22 January 2014
Saturday, 18 January 2014
Friday, 17 January 2014
A Cook In...
Today, 17th January 2014 is Thaipusam Day. Rather than to join Hindu devotees thronging the streets, staying in was the best way to avoid the traffic jam. It was also a good time to cook.
JJ did a shoulder pork roast and Krystyn, fusion (the tinge of curry powder added the local flavor) cauliflower and broccoli soup.
No need to buy kangkung. A plate of kangkung belacan these days would be about RM13.00. As it were, our meal today costed us under RM50.00; the pork costing about RM38.00 for 2.4 kg and cauliflower/broccoli less than RM10.00. Eating out for a meal like this would definitely cost more without the fun of cooking. We could not even finish the roast.
JJ did a shoulder pork roast and Krystyn, fusion (the tinge of curry powder added the local flavor) cauliflower and broccoli soup.
No need to buy kangkung. A plate of kangkung belacan these days would be about RM13.00. As it were, our meal today costed us under RM50.00; the pork costing about RM38.00 for 2.4 kg and cauliflower/broccoli less than RM10.00. Eating out for a meal like this would definitely cost more without the fun of cooking. We could not even finish the roast.
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| 2.4 kg pork shoulder |
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| Scored to obtain greater surface area |
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| Bondage |
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| Ingredients for soup |
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| Pork a roasting and soup a boiling |
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| Home brewed chrysanthemum tea |
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| Just perfect! Nice crackle outside and cooked medium inside |
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| Succulent |
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| Perfect |
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| Soup with broccoli chunks and Prince Cheah (as usual) |
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| English mustard for pork and salted butter for rolls |
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| Dessert - vanilla ice cream |
Thursday, 16 January 2014
Prince In Meditation (8.00 am. 18th January 2005)
I found this short video clip recorded with my phone cam almost exactly 9 years ago. Video quality is bad but audio is tolerable. This was a daily morning routine for Jeannie and Prince with one of Prince's favorite mantras playing and Jeannie with her Nescafe. The guy not only meditates, he snores like a human too!
Wednesday, 15 January 2014
Tun Abdul Razak (11th March 1922 - 14th January 1976)
Nazir Razak's message is clear; "Sesat di Hujung Jalan, Balik ke-Pangkal Jalan." I wonder who will take heed and look back.
Remembering my father, Tun Razak
BY NAZIR RAZAK
JANUARY 14, 2014
Thirty-eight years ago today, on January 14, 1976, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein passed away in London from complications wreaked by leukemia.
Malaysia lost its prime minister. I lost my father. Malaysia was 19. I was nine.
The days immediately after were shrouded in personal sorrow and national mourning.
My four brothers and I sought to comfort our mother, while the public and heartfelt outpouring of grief throughout the country served as a resounding reminder that we were not alone in our time of tragedy.
I must confess that given my age and my father's hectic schedule, I sometimes lament the fact that he gave so much to the country, leaving too little for his family.
However, I have never wavered from being enormously proud of his selfless dedication to our young nation.
This was in the Malaysian Insider:
Remembering my father, Tun Razak
BY NAZIR RAZAK
JANUARY 14, 2014
Thirty-eight years ago today, on January 14, 1976, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein passed away in London from complications wreaked by leukemia.
Malaysia lost its prime minister. I lost my father. Malaysia was 19. I was nine.
The days immediately after were shrouded in personal sorrow and national mourning.
My four brothers and I sought to comfort our mother, while the public and heartfelt outpouring of grief throughout the country served as a resounding reminder that we were not alone in our time of tragedy.
I must confess that given my age and my father's hectic schedule, I sometimes lament the fact that he gave so much to the country, leaving too little for his family.
However, I have never wavered from being enormously proud of his selfless dedication to our young nation.
 |
| Together, on his last Hari Raya. – Pic courtesy of Datuk Seri Mohd Nazir Razak. |
I did not get the time to know him. But imprinted in me are the values he imparted, the integrity that he insisted upon, above all. Yes, above all, including his family.
I recall the time when my brothers and I approached him one evening and asked that a swimming pool be built at Seri Taman, the prime minister's residence where we lived.
The lawyer that he was, he insisted that we make our case with logical and rational arguments. We did so, and thought we had presented the argument pretty well, until we noticed his face had started to darken, and the eyes flashed with annoyance.
My father made it abundantly clear that while Seri Taman may be our home, the house belonged to the government and, hence, to the people.
Anything spent on it would have to come from public funds, and there was no way he was going to allow the state coffers to be depleted on something as frivolous as a swimming pool.
"What will the people think?" he thundered.
In my years of growing up, I actively sought to hear from people who knew my father well, including those who had worked with him in government, politics, the Merdeka movement and so on as well as his personal friends.
It was my only way of getting to know him. What stood out for me was that in almost every conversation I had about him, the qualities they always referenced were his values.
As the custodian of the nation's coffers, his frugality was legendary.
"You had to account for every cent, or he would be on your back," one former minister told me.
Well, I knew that already. Not just from the swimming pool episode, but many anecdotes.
My elder brothers often talk about one of the rare opportunities they had to accompany him on an official trip to Switzerland.
He made sure he paid their expenses himself, he was so careful with the cost of the trip to the government that he moved his whole entourage to a cheaper hotel than originally booked, and they dined over and over again at the cheapest restaurant in the vicinity of the hotel.
And then there was his final trip to Europe in October 1975 for medical treatment. He must have known that it could well be his last trip, yet he did not allow my mother to accompany him to save his own money; probably concerned about her financial situation after his passing.
She only managed to join him weeks later on the insistence of the cabinet and with a specially approved government budget for her travel.
His integrity was another trait that came up often in conversations. He was guided by what now seems a somewhat quaint and old-fashioned concept of public service; that a public servant is first and foremost a servant of the people whose trust must never be betrayed.
The other point that kept being repeated was his stamina.
Many were later astonished to learn he had been suffering from leukemia, given that when in office, he was constantly on the move, attending to official duties, immersing himself in the minutiae of policy and, of course, his famous surprise visits to constituencies around the country that allowed him to hear directly from the people about what was happening on the ground.
Of course, few people forget to recount Tun Razak's dedication to rural development. He was "People First", long before the sound bite.
But above all, what they unanimously emphasized was Tun Razak's commitment to national unity – towards building a nation where every single one of its citizens could find a place under the Malaysian sun.
That vision was encapsulated in the two initiatives that my father spearheaded in the wake of the May 13, 1969 tragedy – the formulation of the Rukunegara in 1970 and the New Economic Policy in 1971.
The Rukunegara reconciled indigenous cultural traditions and heritage with the demands of a modern, secular state.
The NEP's goal, as outlined in the policy announcement, was the promotion of national unity to be undertaken via a massive experiment in socio-economic engineering through the twin thrusts of eradication of poverty irrespective of race and economic restructuring to eliminate identification of economic function with ethnicity.
The debate on the NEP rages on today. I myself have publicly remarked that something has gone awry in its implementation.
The fixation on quotas and the seemingly easy route to unimaginable wealth for a select few have created an intra-ethnic divide in class and status, while fuelling inter-ethnic tensions. Both these developments serve to undermine, if not completely negate, the overarching goal of Tun Razak's NEP, strengthening national unity.
What went wrong? Some have argued that the fault was affirmative action itself. For me, it was because its implementation was skewed by the focus on the tactical approach rather than the commitment to the strategic goal.
The NEP has certainly helped eradicate poverty and reduced economic imbalances by spawning a Malay middle class.
However, in terms of the larger vision, the best that can be said about the NEP is that it initially helped blunt the edges of racial conflict in the aftermath of May 13.
Thanks in part to the NEP, Malaysia did not follow Sri Lanka, which became embroiled in decades of strife between the immigrant Tamils and the indigenous Sinhalese.
That is no small achievement. But the NEP promise of strengthening national unity has not been realised.
In fact, there are signs that inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic tensions are once again approaching worrying levels.
What can be done? There is a Malay proverb: "Sesat di Hujung Jalan, Balik ke-Pangkal Jalan." Loosely translated, it means "When one has lost one's way, one should return to the beginning."
And "the beginning" here, in my view, is the values, commitment, vision and inclusiveness demonstrated and embodied by Tun Razak.
I have mentioned earlier the remarks about his integrity, commitment to the concept of public service and his vision of a progressive, prosperous and united Malaysia. But let me close here by emphasising two other highlights of his legacy.
One, he was a true democrat. Two years after running the country as head of the National Operations Council, he disbanded the committee and restored democratic rule.
He held virtually dictatorial power as the NOC chief, but his worldview and values rested on a foundation of democratic rule, not dictatorship. His decision-making style exemplified this as well: he brought in all who needed to be involved and engaged in a consultative discussion before any major decision was adopted.
He never excluded those with contrarian views, he encouraged multiplicity of opinions in order to have the best chance of making a right final decision.
Two, while he was committed to helping improve the material quality of life for the majority Bumiputeras to avert another "May 13", he viewed this as a national prerogative rather than a racial one. That, to me, explains his determination to involve Malaysia's best and brightest in this quest, regardless of their racial or ethnic origin.
Just check out those who served him and his administration back then. They were and are, Malaysians all, united in their determination to rebuild this nation from the ashes of May 13.
That was Tun Razak's legacy to Malaysia. We can best honour it by returning to "Pangkal Jalan". – January 14, 2014.
* Datuk Seri Mohd Nazir Razak is the son of the second prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak, and a brother of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. He is managing director and chief executive of the CIMB group.
I recall the time when my brothers and I approached him one evening and asked that a swimming pool be built at Seri Taman, the prime minister's residence where we lived.
The lawyer that he was, he insisted that we make our case with logical and rational arguments. We did so, and thought we had presented the argument pretty well, until we noticed his face had started to darken, and the eyes flashed with annoyance.
My father made it abundantly clear that while Seri Taman may be our home, the house belonged to the government and, hence, to the people.
Anything spent on it would have to come from public funds, and there was no way he was going to allow the state coffers to be depleted on something as frivolous as a swimming pool.
"What will the people think?" he thundered.
In my years of growing up, I actively sought to hear from people who knew my father well, including those who had worked with him in government, politics, the Merdeka movement and so on as well as his personal friends.
It was my only way of getting to know him. What stood out for me was that in almost every conversation I had about him, the qualities they always referenced were his values.
As the custodian of the nation's coffers, his frugality was legendary.
"You had to account for every cent, or he would be on your back," one former minister told me.
Well, I knew that already. Not just from the swimming pool episode, but many anecdotes.
My elder brothers often talk about one of the rare opportunities they had to accompany him on an official trip to Switzerland.
He made sure he paid their expenses himself, he was so careful with the cost of the trip to the government that he moved his whole entourage to a cheaper hotel than originally booked, and they dined over and over again at the cheapest restaurant in the vicinity of the hotel.
And then there was his final trip to Europe in October 1975 for medical treatment. He must have known that it could well be his last trip, yet he did not allow my mother to accompany him to save his own money; probably concerned about her financial situation after his passing.
She only managed to join him weeks later on the insistence of the cabinet and with a specially approved government budget for her travel.
His integrity was another trait that came up often in conversations. He was guided by what now seems a somewhat quaint and old-fashioned concept of public service; that a public servant is first and foremost a servant of the people whose trust must never be betrayed.
The other point that kept being repeated was his stamina.
Many were later astonished to learn he had been suffering from leukemia, given that when in office, he was constantly on the move, attending to official duties, immersing himself in the minutiae of policy and, of course, his famous surprise visits to constituencies around the country that allowed him to hear directly from the people about what was happening on the ground.
Of course, few people forget to recount Tun Razak's dedication to rural development. He was "People First", long before the sound bite.
But above all, what they unanimously emphasized was Tun Razak's commitment to national unity – towards building a nation where every single one of its citizens could find a place under the Malaysian sun.
That vision was encapsulated in the two initiatives that my father spearheaded in the wake of the May 13, 1969 tragedy – the formulation of the Rukunegara in 1970 and the New Economic Policy in 1971.
The Rukunegara reconciled indigenous cultural traditions and heritage with the demands of a modern, secular state.
The NEP's goal, as outlined in the policy announcement, was the promotion of national unity to be undertaken via a massive experiment in socio-economic engineering through the twin thrusts of eradication of poverty irrespective of race and economic restructuring to eliminate identification of economic function with ethnicity.
The debate on the NEP rages on today. I myself have publicly remarked that something has gone awry in its implementation.
The fixation on quotas and the seemingly easy route to unimaginable wealth for a select few have created an intra-ethnic divide in class and status, while fuelling inter-ethnic tensions. Both these developments serve to undermine, if not completely negate, the overarching goal of Tun Razak's NEP, strengthening national unity.
What went wrong? Some have argued that the fault was affirmative action itself. For me, it was because its implementation was skewed by the focus on the tactical approach rather than the commitment to the strategic goal.
The NEP has certainly helped eradicate poverty and reduced economic imbalances by spawning a Malay middle class.
However, in terms of the larger vision, the best that can be said about the NEP is that it initially helped blunt the edges of racial conflict in the aftermath of May 13.
Thanks in part to the NEP, Malaysia did not follow Sri Lanka, which became embroiled in decades of strife between the immigrant Tamils and the indigenous Sinhalese.
That is no small achievement. But the NEP promise of strengthening national unity has not been realised.
In fact, there are signs that inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic tensions are once again approaching worrying levels.
What can be done? There is a Malay proverb: "Sesat di Hujung Jalan, Balik ke-Pangkal Jalan." Loosely translated, it means "When one has lost one's way, one should return to the beginning."
And "the beginning" here, in my view, is the values, commitment, vision and inclusiveness demonstrated and embodied by Tun Razak.
I have mentioned earlier the remarks about his integrity, commitment to the concept of public service and his vision of a progressive, prosperous and united Malaysia. But let me close here by emphasising two other highlights of his legacy.
One, he was a true democrat. Two years after running the country as head of the National Operations Council, he disbanded the committee and restored democratic rule.
He held virtually dictatorial power as the NOC chief, but his worldview and values rested on a foundation of democratic rule, not dictatorship. His decision-making style exemplified this as well: he brought in all who needed to be involved and engaged in a consultative discussion before any major decision was adopted.
He never excluded those with contrarian views, he encouraged multiplicity of opinions in order to have the best chance of making a right final decision.
Two, while he was committed to helping improve the material quality of life for the majority Bumiputeras to avert another "May 13", he viewed this as a national prerogative rather than a racial one. That, to me, explains his determination to involve Malaysia's best and brightest in this quest, regardless of their racial or ethnic origin.
Just check out those who served him and his administration back then. They were and are, Malaysians all, united in their determination to rebuild this nation from the ashes of May 13.
That was Tun Razak's legacy to Malaysia. We can best honour it by returning to "Pangkal Jalan". – January 14, 2014.
* Datuk Seri Mohd Nazir Razak is the son of the second prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak, and a brother of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. He is managing director and chief executive of the CIMB group.
Tuesday, 7 January 2014
Ikan Goreng
This was in the Malaysian Insider today. Exclusive news today but reported in Malaysia Today a few years ago. Ahem...
I believe there are bigger fish still yet to be fried. Takpe lah...makan ikan bilis dulu.
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At least 60 KL cops under probe in biggest anti-graft ops ever
EXCLUSIVE BY LEE SHI-IANJANUARY 07, 2014
A disgruntled policeman's complaint to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) six months ago marked the beginning of an investigation that has resulted in some 60 policemen being probed for money-laundering and corruption.
The anti-graft operation, one of the largest in recent times, was a joint effort by MACC, Bank Negara, the Inland Revenue Department, National Registration Department, Immigration Department and Customs.
A senior MACC official told The Malaysian Insider that all the policemen were based in Kuala Lumpur and they were suspected of collecting bribes from operators of illegal businesses in the capital city.
The businesses ranged from illegal gaming cybercafes to massage parlours and vice dens, the official said.
Depending on the type of business, each operator contributed between RM10,000 and RM50,000 a month to the policemen to avoid being raided and hassled, he added.
The rogue policemen were also very organised with each tasked with collecting the monthly fee within a certain area.
"Once all the fees had been collected, the money will be distributed based on the policemen's seniority and rank with the highest ranked getting the biggest share," said the MACC official.
He revealed that the disgruntled policeman had been part of the group who had been receiving the monthly bribes and heading this group was a senior police officer with a "Datuk" honorific.
The Datuk was recently transferred to the Bukit Aman police secretariat as police checked on his activities.
The MACC official said the disgruntled policeman had become dissatisfied with his monthly payoff.
"He wanted more and when he did not receive any extra, he decided to spill the beans on his colleagues," the MACC official said.
The Datuk was initially called by the MACC, which discovered more than RM6 million stashed away in various accounts.
However, the MACC official told The Malaysian Insider that RM6 million was merely the tip of the iceberg in terms of cash stashed away.
As investigations intensified, MACC seized luxury vehicles, such as Range Rover Evoque (RM400,000), Nissan Skyline (RM388,000), Toyota Vellfire (RM450,000), BMW 7-series (RM800,000)and Mercedes-Benz E-class (RM400,000) from the suspects.
The MACC also discovered the policemen had set up various shell companies, naming their family members and relatives as proxy directors.
The companies used the ill-gotten funds to buy various properties, including shoplots and condominiums.
MACC probed various shell companies and followed the money trail until it led back to the policemen.
Besides properties and luxury vehicles, police also seized a substantial amount of cash, jewellery and gold from some of the policemen.
"Simultaneous raids were conducted at the homes of all the suspects. Thorough background checks were carried out on each and every policeman whose home was raided," the MACC official said.
"Their bank accounts were scrutinised, including transactions over the past few years, all properties in their names or their family members, loans, overseas trips, their monthly and annual expenses and their close friends all came under the microscope."
Declining to elaborate on the types of properties purchased by the policemen using shell companies, the official said the majority of the properties were in the Klang Valley with the value running into tens of millions of ringgit.
"Policemen from Kuala Lumpur who had been transferred elsewhere would continue to receive their share of the bribe to ensure that they kept quiet. Their replacements would be included on the 'payroll' to ensure business as usual."
The official revealed that MACC was in the midst of building up its case against the policemen and the probe was expected to be completed in two weeks.
In the meantime, Bukit Aman is set to announce a massive transfer exercise involving senior police officers. It is unclear whether the transfer exercise is related to the ongoing probe or merely an attempt to divert public attention away from the anti-graft operation. – January 7, 2014.
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