Sunday, August 29, 2010

Memories of Year 3 Semester 1 Fully Grown

They say action speaks louder than words, but so do pictures:



With PuiChee bended right

With JiaLing bended left

With Hannah bended left

Colourful People

No Kidding

I'm the only serious one =P ok plus the one in orange and yellow XD

How low can you go? (this has two meanings. If you get it XD)

Heads left, right and center.

Failing Innocence.

Ze bunch of wacky girls...

... and this is me with them =)

Black and White
Me with them =)

Yours truly =)

~eNd~

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Take it all!!!!!!!!

Jesus
We're living for Your Name
We'll never be ashame of You

Our praise
And all we are today
Take take
Take it all
Take take
Take it all

~eNd~

Monday, August 23, 2010

What The Premier League

Last week (14nd August): Chelsea 6 West Bromwich Albion 0

This week (22 and 23rd August): Arsenal 6 Blackpool 0, Wigan 0 Chelsea 6, and the latest, most shocking and most unexpected: Newcastle 6 Aston Villa 0.

You dig what I'm getting at here?

Amazingly, this has never happened before in the history of the Barclays Premier League. The last time there were these many trashings was in 2007, and that didn't happen in the space of a week. This?

This is not football.

Of the four matches, the were 3 hattrick heroes (Drogba - Chelsea, Walcott - Arsenal, and Andy Carroll - Newcastle) while the Wigan - Chelsea game saw two players hit doubles (Anelka and Kalou). At the same time, only Arsenal won by that scoreline with the opposition down to 10 men.

These are some other stats I got from a football analysis:
1. The shortest gap between Premier League 6-0 wins before the four in nine days this season was 56 days in Sep-Oct 2007.
2. After 18 PL games in 2010-11, 6-0 is the most common scoreline (4 times) ahead of 2-1 (3 times).
3. 15% of the 6-0 wins (3 of 20) in Premier League history have come this weekend.

Urgh. Much I hope Liverpool does the same thing tomorrow against Manchester City, I think this will more of spoil the beauty of the game. Getting trashed means either one side is too weak for the other, or luck is just not with the trashed side.

Or maybe that's the beauty of the game? Fingers crossed. XD

~eNd~

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

I want

(1). To end this semester
(2). To finish me finals
(3). To serve with Samuel and Lukas again (it's been a long time)
(4). To go for LifeGame camp!
(5). To finish my FYP
(6). To anticipate Christmas!
(7). To wait for two old friends to come back, then Da Gei and snooker!!!!!! =DDDDDD
(8). 2011

Well, not too sure about the last one. XD

~eNd~

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Hillsong "Unite + Conquere"

Well, would you believe it? Hillsong actually came to Ipoh! Never in the history of this small yet growing state did any band whatsoever came to us, and here they are (or were. =p)!

The concert was held in Syuen Hotel, but hell, concert is THE.WRONG.WORD. Worship session was more like it, or should I use the word "service"? Anyways, even though it wasn't from the original Hillsong band (they are in New York City now by the way. Yes, AMERICA people), still, it was still from Hillsong. Even though there were A.LOT of controversial issues, still it don't matter.

It also doesn't matter if the best wasn't there, and it doesn't matter if we only heard the second best (or that's how many people put it). It was still a team produced by Hillsong, consisting of multinationals like Canadians, Norwegians, Americans and of course from the locals (Sydney, Australia). And we're all here to worship the one and only God. =)

They did it almost like the "I Heart Revolution" style, though starting the worship with "Your Name High". It was then followed by "What The World Will Never Take", "Tell The World", "Hosanna", "None But Jesus", "From The Inside Out", and other songs including "Take It All", "You Come", "More Than Anything", "King of All Days", "Yours Forever" and end the entire session with "One Way".

Why I bothered listing all the songs they sang yestreday was because I never thought I would have the opportunity to HEAR.IT.UP.CLOSE. Man, even their introduction clip was awesome! In case you don't know, I'm the kind of person who loves music, and when I heard the songs of the old and new (well not so new anymore I guess =p), I praise God they came down. However, not only did I hear it up close, but it was also an opportunity to praise and worship God again. It's been a long time. =)

Anyways, they'll be there again tonight (Thursday night 12/08/10) so if you want to experience it, do join! =)

Reminded me of Passion 2008. =D

~eNd~

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Yeah yeah...

This is a totally good one. However this time, instead of giving you the link, I present to you:

From abc123909, via e-mail

Prof Chuah of Utar, you received a lot of flak over your administration of the university. If what your critics say is not true, then why remain silent and not respond to them?

And if the students have so many complaints, why can't you and the rest of your management team solve the problems faced by them?

Prof Chuah, you probably thought that we are only students and Utar can make easy money from this resource. But how long can Utar continue to earn money if it does not improve?

Utar maybe around for several decades. Maybe I'm speaking too soon, but at this point in time, I won't even consider sending my children to Utar.

Behind all the students in Utar are their parents who will be deciding the future of Utar over the next 10 years.

Utar is a private institution and no doubt profit oriented, and the 'customers' are top priority and always right.

A lot of great lecturers left Utar, not because of the students, but because of the management. Is this primary problem being solved? I don't think so.

Students pay high fees and in return get poor quality of management and facilities.

Prof Chuah, listing out the problem of Utar is waste of time and I believe you are already aware of it.

I've been in Utar for three years and I've rarely seen you show up and interact with students or get feedback from them.

If Utar is really that good, would you send your children to study under in an unconducive environment? Tea meetings serve no purpose and have not resolved students' woes.

You have yet to explain the unreasonable fee for the sport complex which no is one using and the unreasonable facility charge added on the first semester payment each year.

A response is required. Maybe this feedback may not even be effective enough to change the direction of Utar, but as a leader of Utar, you are the one responsible for Utar.

If you cannot bring about changes in the short term or even in long term, I advice that Utar cancel all its leadership programmes.

Zero effort equals to failure. This applies to all endeavours Prof Chuah should know about it.

~eNd~

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

From Rafa to Roy - Paul Tomkins

It was encouraging to hear Roy Hodgson say in a press conference last week that the squad was not in need of a complete overhaul; backing up my recent assertion along those lines (made in response to Gérard Houllier’s ludicrous claim that he left behind a much better collection of players in 2004.)

And now, Roy’s even gone so far as to bring back one of Rafa’s favourites – Fabio Aurelio – who was released in May not on footballing grounds, but because of fitness issues (which were reflected in the pay-as-you-play contract he refused.) Rafa clearly wanted him as part of the squad, but only now, it seems, was the Brazilian deemed worthy of a more risky deal.

So if we had the Rafalution, now we have the Royvalution … except, it’s more a case of evolution.

Those who thought players like Ngog and Lucas were not worthy of the shirt, and were only picked by Rafa because he ‘favoured’ them, can hopefully now see that they are clearly part of the new manager’s plans too.

Like Benítez, Hodgson can see that Ngog is a talented player, if not in Torres’ class; then again, who is? (And how many are even close?)

I always argued that as the Frenchman fills out, he will become more effective. Equally, once he wises up to canny defenders, he’ll improve further. It’s an education. He’s only 21, and while pacy young strikers can burst onto the scene as kids, hold-up play takes time to learn.

And Lucas was handed the captaincy in the Europa Cup, when older, more experienced players like Agger and Skrtel were available. Kuyt is another who Fulham fans tell me Roy will like.

There will be changes, as Roy stamps his own authority on the squad, but it’s thankfully not looking like a case of throwing the baby out with the bath water. Fernando Torres’ decision to definitely stay will mean that replacing one of the key men, in the key positions, does not need addressing. My nightmare scenario was seeing him sold too late in the transfer window to reinvest the money (if indeed it would be offered to Roy).

I always maintained that the squad that ended last season is about as good as you’d get for one whose fees total just £140m, and where a failure to find good local youngsters in a decade is not the manager’s fault. (Again I repeat, because it’s still being overlooked: the overhaul of the Academy in 2009 might be Rafa’s greatest legacy. He didn’t destroy it, as some claimed; he sought to get the place to finally deliver.)

Of course, some players are now worth less than the fees paid; others far more. It’s not perfect, or possessed of the depth of a £250m squad, but it’s very strong in several areas.

In some ways, the squad has already been improved. Shelvey and Wilson are theoretically sound investments; potential stars of tomorrow who can do a basic job today, as they serve a first-team apprenticeship.

And of course, there’s the fact that teenagers Pacheco, Kelly and Ayala – all blooded last season – are now a year older, stronger and wiser.

One thing I often noted about Benítez’s buying policy is that he rarely plumped for ageing stars; so while this trio – and others – will be better players in 2010/11, no-one has fallen off the other end of scale, as was the case with Hyypia last summer. Only Jamie Carragher presents any age concerns, but he does play in the one outfield position where experience can compensate.

While Liverpool may lose players, it won’t be due to old age. That said, there is a gap in the middle ground relating to incoming transfers.

Jovanovic, at 29, is a very fine footballer indeed; but as yet, we don’t know if he’ll settle in as hoped. I’ll be happy if, on average, he gets close to the form Albert Riera showed in his first five months at the club, while simultaneously accepting that even week-old roadkill shows more movement and initiative than the Spanish w(h)inger last season.

And Joe Cole, while statistically inferior to Yossi Benayoun in terms of contribution over the past three years – more assists but an inferior scoring rate per 90 minutes played – does have that X-factor that could (finally) make him a real superstar. If he has 25% more talent than Benayoun, he also misses more games. So some question marks remain, but a fit Cole will be a real asset.

Selling Insua would weaken the squad, but I’m not sure he should have been Liverpool’s first-choice left-back this season anyway. What I do believe is that he has the potential to be something special when he’s 24/25, and also, as his excellent assist-rate suggests, someone who can be deployed further up the field. My frustration at his (possible) departure is limited more to his potential than him being the finished article. I hope he stays.

Of course, almost certain to leave the club is fellow Argentine, Javier Mascherano. As one of the handful of Liverpool players who can rightly be considered (if not confirmed) as world-class, his departure would weaken not just the squad but the first XI. But I’ve long-since been resigned to him leaving, and felt that his poor start to last season, and terrible disciplinary record in that campaign, counteracted his better moments.

Hopefully the links suggesting the third and final Argentine, Maxi Rodriguez, is also up for sale are wide of the mark. As someone on Torres’ wavelength from their time at Atletico Madrid, it would be a worrying move.

Having said that, who plays where – and indeed, who gets in the team most weeks – is an interesting question right now. Then again, you need two good players for every position; formation, form and fitness often dictates the rest.

While still lacking anything approaching a world-class winger, the Reds have a lot of very good wide midfielders.

Is Joe Cole to be considered one of these, or finally destined to play in his favoured position off the main striker? Jovanovic can also play up front, as, of course, can Kuyt. Maxi, meanwhile, played in central midfield for Argentina in the World Cup.

Then there’s Ryan Babel, who remains a Grade A enigma, but whose natural gifts make him someone to consider rather than instantly discard. David Amoo fits into the same category, but as a teenager, still has an excuse about his final ball. (Unlike Babel, he seems happy out wide, as an old-fashioned winger.)

Then there’s the fight for the ‘hole’. Gerrard? Cole? Aquilani?

Even Kuyt, if Roy wants to get closer to an old-fashioned 4-4-2, but do so with a striker who is used to supplementing the midfield.

Buying Policy

Limited funds don’t stop you from buying good players. But they do make it much harder to buy a certain kind of player.

Liverpool’s buying strategy so far this calendar year – and this applies equally to Rafa, who sourced many of the stars (Maxi, Shelvey, Wilson, Jovanovic), as much as Roy Hodgson – has a clear gap in the middle ground. It’s the gap where money really tells.

Jonjo Shelvey and Danny Wilson are two of the brightest prospects in British football. But while Wilson has played under the microscope at Rangers, neither has been tested at a standard beyond sub-Premier League standard.

At 18, that’s no problem whatsoever; many 18-year-olds haven’t played beyond the reserves. But these are great prospects and not nailed-on certainties; neither is ready to be a regular first-teamer yet. They are vital signings in terms of building a club, but as supplementary transfers.

At the other end of the spectrum reside Maxi, Jovanovic and Cole: international players entering the final stage of their careers; possibly still in their peak, but fast approaching 30, and crucially, available on a ‘free’.

Again, I think all three are potentially excellent signings; Maxi has proved his quality after he found his match lungs last season. Jovanovic has pace and an eye for goal. And Cole has great innate ability. I have no complaints with any of these being brought to the club.

But these are not long-term investments. These are here-and-now-only purchases. You won’t lose a lot if they flop; equally, you won’t possess any resale value further down the line.

The real money in football goes on players who are good enough to instantly elevate the team, but who can be sold in four or five years’ time for a major profit, to fund the next wave. It’s not about buying just to sell; it’s about having the opportunity to do so, and not be left with an expensive, unsellable flop.

Mascherano, Torres and Alonso were three of Rafa’s most expensive signings. But with mind to ‘speculate to accumulate’, each added tens of millions to his value while at Anfield, and did so by delivering quality out on the pitch. It’s win-win.

At 25, Aquilani still has a big reputation in Italy, should he ever need to be sold. Still only 23, Ryan Babel, for all his flaws, could still gain back his fee if Roy can’t coax consistency from him. (I believe Birmingham offered around £11m in January.)

Also 25, Glen Johnson has many years left ahead of him in the game.
And though they weren’t as expensive, Agger and Reina, like all the others, were aged between 20 and 25 when they signed. At ‘only’ roughly £6m each, at the time they were still the record amount the club had paid for a goalkeeper and a defender.

Only Robbie Keane, for £19m aged 28, didn’t make much sense in financial terms (even if, in theory, most of us could see what he was supposed to offer on the pitch, even if he ultimately failed to do so). The speed with which he was offloaded was vital to it not being a total disaster; he wasn’t terrible at Liverpool, but once it was clear he would not be a success, losses had to be cut, and in so doing, were duly minimised.

It seems unlikely that Roy will get the chance to spend in this way this summer, unless he sells first. Not since 2007 has there been any significant investment in the squad that didn’t come after someone left for good money.

Indeed, marquee signings were not a big feature of his predecessor’s reign: only seven at £10m+ in six years; not a huge amount considering the spending of rival clubs and the income from consistent Champions League football (and from selling some big name players).

The problem now is that players like Torres, Alonso and Mascherano – early 20s, already full internationals – are no longer being brought to the club. And that’s one of the reasons why it’s vital that a new owner is found.

Hopefully Kenny Huang will prove a better custodian than Gillett and Hicks, should he be that man. But even if he is, it might come too late for this transfer window. (While I welcome the speculation, I do think that owners need to be judged on their actions and not their words; we’ve been caught out by that before. And while it is theoretically possible, it’s hard to believe that anyone could be as bad as the two Americans; or, given the stick they’ve been given, would even dare to try.)

Once Mascherano departs, it’ll be interesting to see if Roy is allowed to spend £15m+ on a player.

Indeed, everyone will be waiting to see if all of the money goes back into the squad; at the time of writing, Liverpool sit 20th out of 20 Premier League clubs in terms of team investment this summer; so far, it’s all about profit. (So much for the ‘big summer’ Tom Hicks promised; unless he was referring to the money he’d be making.)

If Roy can avoid the problems of last season – most crucially, too many injuries – he will stand a good chance of a smooth evolution that brings the best out of the talent Rafa left behind. If some of the players were indeed unhappy with Rafa’s man-management, they’ve now got a clean slate; that excuse has gone.

Getting back into the top four will be no easy feat, with Arsenal having added quality at both ends of the pitch, before even contemplating Man City’s spend-till-we-get-there attitude.

Chelsea and United looked nailed-on for the top four, but even if Spurs suffer a Champions League hangover (as I suspect), City and Arsenal will expect to be up there, too.

But it seems far less like being the catastrophe that I feared could happen when it looked like prospective transfers might fall through (Wilson, Jovanovic), and more crucially, big names would leave and the funds potentially vanish.

Equally, Roy has talked a good game so far, and done everything that’s been asked of him in terms of actions. I don’t think he’s the master tactician that Benítez is, but perhaps he’ll offer more in other areas.

And if the league season gets underway with Gillett and Hicks ousted, well then, hell, any lingering pessimism might vanish completely.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Time

It takes a long time
To build a relationship with someone
But it'll only take an instant
To break it up

It takes a long time
To build a reputation
But it'll only take an instant
To destroy it

It takes a long time
To construct a building
But it'll only take an instant
To bring it down

It takes a long time
To build a nation
But it'll only take an instant
To tear it apart








You get what I mean.

~eNd~

Keunderstandingan

There will be some things a girl
will NEVER understand about a guy,
and vice versa.
And I'll never understand
how some guys can talk about certain things
from a girl's perspective
when they've never been a girl before.
And will never will be duh.

I guess that's something to live by.

The frustration must be killing you

I hate it when I have to settle important things through sms. It's like, you're anxious about what's happening with the situation, or you want to get some confirmation about something, or someone's about to tell you something important, and yet, what keeps you anxious, is how long that person takes to reply.

I'd rather just call straight away, get the confirmation on the spot, and not having to waste time sms-ing. It's especially frustration when you've got many other things to do, or your hands are full, or you need to type a message fast, and the phone you're using is one you're not too familiar with, and not having those "short-forms" registered in your phone. Or the best part? You initially had it, but on THAT moment, it chooses to "disappear", which means you have to re-type again.

And... haha... having two phones makes it worse. You're so used to typing message on one phone, and when you have to suddenly switch to the other, your head still registers the keypad of the first phone. GG.

The most important thing however, is this, and I'll only put it in one sentence. I guess it's easy to understand it:

"Sometimes things are better said face-to-face."

Fill me?

~eNd~