201st post: On Wasted Prodigy and New Mattress

Warning: This first entry rated 18 SX
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Wasted Prodigy, read here (source: News of the World)

Maths prodigy who won an Oxford place at 13 is now a £130-an-hour HOOKER

By Keith Gladdis

SHE was a child maths genius who won a place at Oxford University aged just 13—but now the only sums Sufiah Yusof is interested in are the ones she earns as a HOOKER.

For sad Sufiah the daily equation she has to solve is simply sex equals £130 as she sells her body to punters over the internet.

The gifted girl with the winning smile had the world at her feet ten years ago and should be a rich woman by now—but last week she was busy subtracting her underwear for our undercover reporter in her dingy back street flat.

"Would you like to start your half hour now?" said Sufiah, 23, as she danced on the bed, displaying her body for examination.

Then she listed all the sleazy plus points she would throw in for our man if he took up her offer.

Calling herself Shilpa Lee, the former child prodigy still juggles with figures on a hookers' website, describing herself as a "very pretty size 8, 32D bust and 5'5" tall—available for booking every day from 11am to 8pm."

She says she is a "sexy, smart student" who prefers "older gentlemen"— but a former pal who has witnessed her downfall told us: "It is all desperately heartbreaking.

"With her amazing brain she should be able to make money any way she wants. But instead her life has spiralled completely out of control."

Life has never quite added up for Sufiah. Her descent into prostitution in Salford, Manchester, is the latest in a long line of tragedies to have engulfed her since the sunny day when she posed with her university mortar board for the world's press outside prestigious St Hilda's College.

Our shock revelations today come in the week her domineering dad Farooq was jailed for sexually assaulting two 15-year-old girls as he home-tutored them in maths.

And he was always at the root of all her troubles— even as she passed the further maths A-Level she needed for entry to Oxford at the age of 12. In those days Sufia was a strict Muslim child who prayed five times a day and was subjected to her father's famous Accelerated Learning Technique.

Her days involved stretching and breathing exercises in freezing rooms to keep her brain attentive.

Sufiah would then study hard and be forced to play tennis with just as much intensity as fanatical Farooq drove her on. The routine was so effective Sufiah was seeded number eight in the country for under 21s.

But three years into Oxford, the 15-year-old sparked a massive police hunt after running away.

Abuse

At the time her father bizarrely claimed Sufiah had been kidnapped and brainwashed by an organisation seeking the key to her intelligence.

But Sufiah sent an email to her family describing her life under her father as a "living hell".

One message to her sister read: "I've finally had enough of 15 years of physical and emotional abuse. You know what I am talking about."

Sufiah was missing for two weeks before being found in an internet café in Bournemouth where she had been working as a hotel waitress.

She refused to go back to her parents and instead was taken into the care of social services.

It was then revealed that Farooq had been jailed for three years in 1992 for his part in a £1.5m mortgage swindle. Before that—at the age of 19—he had been sent to borstal for his role in a conspiracy involving £100,000.

Free from the spell of her father, Sufiah returned to Oxford to complete the final year of her Masters in Maths.

But she was now more concerned with enjoying herself—and failed to finish the course after meeting trainee lawyer Jonathan Marshall.

They were married in 2004 when Sufiah was just 19 and Jonathan 24. But the strains with her family were still there.

Despite being invited, Sufiah's parents and four brothers and sisters failed to turn up to the wedding.

Her dreams of a happy life with Jonathan were shattered when the couple divorced just a year later.

Now, in her sad little flat, she uses her body to pay the rent. Sufiah met our man, posing as a punter, at the entrance to her building wearing a tiny skirt, leather boots and a tight t-shirt. She was carrying three mobile phones.

She laughed and joked as she led him to her small apartment where a bed was already set out in the lounge.

She told him it was £130 an hour and offered him a glass of water before putting some music on to a cheap portable stereo and nervously stripping down to her red lace bra and knickers.

Sufiah then peeled off her underwear and danced on the bed. She told him she did full sex with a condom and oral sex without protection.

After our man had made his excuses, Sufiah kept him talking by telling him how she was studying for a Masters degree in Economics on a part-time two year course in London.

The former prodigy added: "I've got exams coming up and I'm thinking ‘Oh my God!'"

Once described by her parents as "naïve and unstreetwise", she works alone from her flat without any obvious physical security or protection.

She even admitted to our reporter: "It's always a surprise who you are going to meet."

Cheerful Sufiah gave no indication of any sadness at the jailing of her father the previous day. On Wednesday Farooq, 50, was sentenced to 18 months at Coventry Crown Court for touching two 15-year-old girls when he was home tutoring them at maths.

The court heard how in May last year Farooq arrived at one of the victim's home for a maths lesson.

He started whispering in her ear and kissing her hair and cheek. He also touched her breast and told her she was a genius and pretty before putting her hand on his upper thigh.

Destroyed

Farooq's defence lawyer Tim Hannam said: "He's been back in prison for over five months and knows there'll be no more teaching and any hope he had of gaining an income from the teaching method he had developed to a high degree of success is lost to him. His reputation is destroyed."

Now it's clear the daughter who fled his strict regime has almost been destroyed too.

Her friend said last night: "Sufiah has suffered so many knocks in her life. I just hope she can drag herself out this life she has got herself into.

"She is a good person and deserves a much better life than this. Her gift really has been a curse."

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Second Entry: New Mattress

Model : Golden Age

• Bonnel Spring system
• Imported Damask Ticking
• 10 Years Warranty

I bought a new set of Goodnite mattress last night from a local furniture shop to replace that old, lumpy mattress that I have been using since I came back for good. It costs me RM 360 and so far, I had a good sleep all the way to the morning and felt like i wanna continue lazying meself in bed longer had it not be Monday morning. Good thing, I didnt suffer any Monday blues as I had a rather good restful sleep on that piece of mattress.

I was actually looking around for some idea on what to get for the new house when I decided on getting myself that mattress. I tested it first by lying on it for some good 1 minute or so and felt good. The thing was I only had like RM 50 in my wallet and so I told the salesperson if I could just pay RM 50 deposit now and tomorrow I will pay the balance RM 310. She said OK and they even delivered to my house (parents one) free of charge. Baik kan?


I honestly have never heard of a Goodnite mattress product before. Names like Vono and dunlopillo and also Slumberland do ring a bell . This Goodnite product is pretty much a Made in Malaysia brand and it is made of highly resilient poly-urethane foam , extra sponge padding to add to the comfort and it is equipped with individual pocket spring for better spinal care and body load distribution.

Not only that, to show that they really mean business on providing good quality mattress, Goodnite also provides 10 tips for better sleep:


1. Maintain a regular bed and wake time schedule, including weekends.

2. Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bath or hot tub and then reading a book or listening to soothing music.

3. Create a sleep-conductive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool.

4. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows.

5. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex. It is best to take work materials, computers and televisions out of the sleeping environment. (Unfortunately, my bedroom is also where i would love to watch movies on a dvd player and TV as well, and i do need my computer nearby, and yes, I kinda bring my work in the same vicinity as the bedroom though not necessarily on the bed itself! I am planning to have a special study area in my new house but i would also be carrying things to and from the bedroom, therefore #5 tip is a bit beyond my liking apart from totally concurring to the sleep and sex idea.)

6. Finish eating at least two to three hours before your regular bedtime. (Good weight management tip too!)

7. Exercise regularly. It is best to complete your workout at least a few hours before bedtime. (Sexercise included, no?)

8. Avoid nicotine (e.g. cigarettes, tobacco products). Used close to bedtime, it can lead to poor sleep.

9. Avoid caffeine (e.g. coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) close to bedtime. It can keep you awake. (But hot chocolate/ginger tea with milk calm me down, sorta? I should get some pack of chamomile tea too,mix it with honey, that'll help me sleep if ever...)

10. Avoid alcohol close to bedtime. It can lead to disrupted sleep later in the night. (I am a teetotal, therefore this part is not that relevant to me)




This morning, and walking with a cheerful mood, i was stopped by Prof. KS asking me about my sciencefund. Without even feeling wee bit embarrassed, I told him that my application was rejected with a capital R and that it was solely on the basis that my proposed product was of non-commercial value. Betapa bangangnya la panel2 itu....nama pon research, of course laa belum lagi ade commercial value until it is fully viable and hence, to turn it into industrial scale. Prof. KS then adviced me to write a letter defending my proposal just like what he and few other professors did including Prof. WRWD. So nice of them to educate me on what I should do and how to find some solution to it especially that I am a junior lecturer.

Must be that very good night sleep i had sampai tak mimpi apa2 pon...hmmm.....(dream lover, where art thou?)

It just gets more interesting than ever

What a month it has been so far! Admittedly not yet fully recovered and still following the malaysian political drama that is so much better than 70% malaysian TV drama (of which the remaining 30% are what i could still stomach without fidgetting or happily choosing to switch channels or go read a novel or surf the net or just go out). Speaking of the Malaysian TV drama, the latest one that I could actually watch is Sindarella, starring Sharifah Amani (of Sepet, Gubra fame), Bront Palarae, Norkhiriah (just found out how brilliant she can be, and 1st seen her in Gubra) and some few other newcomers including that ex-dangdut gedik woman, Iffa Raziah.



This month also saw meself registering (albeit a 3-month base) at a local gym centre. What an achievement eh, considering that I have left myself with no excuse any more but I just had to do something in order to rectify my uric acid level in the blood and that I NEED a place (close and safe and motivating) to destress myself. Jobloads ever increasing, responsibilities and what nots even though i am yet a married woman with husband and kids to add to the number of burdens.



My house project is now practically on the move and I shall soon be visiting some local banks to survey and subsequently apply a personal loan to proceed with renovations, refurbishment and all that matter for the new house (my own first casa). I need to learn more on the win-win investment, and then thinking on maybe investing a bit into the public mutual trust fund. Bit by bit, i need to understand and learn SOOOO many things apart from the working environment. I kinda feel old yet somehow there is some sense of fulfilment even if it's only the beginning. I went asking a few friends to get some tips and ideas on how to manage the bank loans without drying up my own savings (which is so much easier to do and me ending up a skint but with a posh desire like always, yeah whatever).



I also found out that a fren of a fren has installed security system at her new house but at the expense of higher electricity bill. Hmmm...juggling between safety and money....Safety is numero uno come what may. Therefore, I may also consider asking her some info on that alarm system.



Never knew that I had to pay a cagaran (deposit) of RM 1000 for electricity usage in a Semi-D house? Mahal nak mampossss.....Doesnt matter if the semi-d house is small, they still charge the same for that house type. I am beginning to contemplate on becoming more and more frugal on saving the energy and cutting the electricity bill in the future. I have been paying my own electricity and gas bills in London before and it was based on peak-off peak rate. IN malaysia, not sure whether that kinda rate applies or not. I seem to see my family bills all the same regardless of night and day. Damn!

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2 weeks ago, my old colleague, OKM, a young professor from Imperial College London came over for an official visit under british sterling group to our university and delivered a talk at my faculty. We knew each other before he got married. I still remember at one time, a fren of mine tried to match us up but of course it did not work that way as we didnt have any chemistry between each other apart from as mates. There was also one time , a year after he got married that he came to join us in a club down Shaftersbury Avenue in london. With quite a few fond memories we shared, it was of little wonder that the moment we were face to face, he happily acknowledged my presence in front of my superiors during our first meeting at the Chancellory building.


He and his colleague, Dr. RS were then ushered to the banquet hall and he naturally chose a seat next to me. We started with a quick chat catching up on each other before he partook in a more serious discussion concerning university collaboration, research and so on. The next agenda, my head of dept (HoD) asked me to be the unofficial tour guide for OKM and RS to see our campus and that was the moment he became more of himself and started to get a bit cheeky in their chauffeured MPV. I felt like it was only days since I left the college? And of course, from the beginning till the end, we only addressed each other on the first name basis.


GOD i missed london, and UK, and a pint of fresh milk, and Greek yoghurt with dollop of honey and pizza in Bradford, and that familiar surroundings, be it smelly or enchanting that is London.

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Our department is organizing an international Chemical Engineering conference: RSCE-SOMChE 2008 (regional south-east chemical engineering - symposium of malaysia chemical engineering) and I am the Secretary 1. Those who are interested to participate, please click here for the conference website. It is still in progress, so please apologize for some lack of material there.

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This morning, I spent like 20 minutes glued on the sofa watching the original version of "Sabrina", starring the lovely Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey "Bogey" Bogart on Astro channel cinemax 412. I have never seen it before though i have watched the newer version of the movie starring Harrison Ford, Julia Ormond and Greg Kinnear. Why ooo why must the oldies be shown during the ungodly hour (8.30am on a weekday???? fucking out). That reminded me of that one Friday morning earlier this month that I took a day off and continued watching "Roman Holiday" starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. I didnt feel like going to work that day and since I didnt have much to do in the office after like Four very hectic Monday-Thursday, I thought I deserve my own break and decided to watch that movie for the first time ever. Alas, I only spent 20 minutes in the morning to watch "Sabrina" but I hope i can still get to watch it if Astro would kindly play it again on a weekend morning instead!

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BACK to WORK!

Tuhan sayang

I am yet to fully recover from the Election results. And this song: Wind of Change by Scorpions came to mind:




BY the way, I managed to visit the Berlin Wall remains 10 years ago.


That ZAM dude ( one of the losers in the recent election) said something like and I quote:

-Tuhan masih sayangkan PM dan TPM kita -

in response to the lesser BN majority and that the PM and TPM still gained a reasonable win on ballot count result enabling them to resume their power on the TV1 8 o'clock news.

You can say: Tuhan masih sayangkan dia (God still have mercy upon him/her) if he/she were still alive or basically survived a near-fatal accident or any sort of incident that would have caused death. But by observing them sworn again as the nation's leaders doesn't deserve that "Tuhan masih sayangkan dia" statement, not a bit. I found it so lame that I had to switch to another channel immediately for fear of having another nausea as I have just had my dinner that time.


He should have said: "Kita bersyukur pada Tuhan kerana disebalik kekalahan kita di Kedah, Perak, Selangor dan Pulau Pinang dan kegagalan kita untuk menawan Kelantan daripada genggaman PAS, kita masih lagi mampu untuk menjadi gagasan parti pemerintah walaupun kekurangan majoriti 2/3".

("We are very grateful to God that despite our defeat in Kedah, Perak, Selangor and Pulau Pinang and our failure to win back Kelantan from PAS grip, we are still able to be the main ruling party coalition even at lower than the 2/3 majority")

He has not learnt how to be a wise, diplomatic and visionary leader or is he? Perhaps, he should not talk when he is very angry lest he keep on making himself look even more ridiculous.



And who can forget those inarticulate statements he gave to the Al-Jazeera reporter in regards to the Bersih rally last year? A reminder of that here:



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Like many of us across the country, (my mother and) I too applaude and in support of Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon's wise act on the way he accepted his loss, acknowledging his opponent's win and welcoming the new Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng son of Lim Kit Siang of DAP.

Picture from The Star: Koh , left shaking hands with Dr.P.Ramasamy of DAP, who has defeated him in the recent electi0n for Batu Kawan seat in Pulau Pinang

To those who have won, STOP gloating.
To those who are entrusted upon by the rakyat to govern, stand and deliver.
To those who are still in denial and still want to secure their own positions, wake up and smell the coffee.
To the leaders be it the BN or BA, we the rakyat will always remind u of your duty to us for the sake of the nation. You are given the power by us and we will decide whether u r any good to us or not.


Latest news: I have received an email on how Tok Guru Nik Aziz led a massive solat hajat (prayer of hope) congregation in Kota Bharu few days before the Election day with high hopes that Allah will help those who seeks His mercy and pleasures and His blessings on the coming election day.

PRU12 results

Poll results taken from The Star.

Winds of Change in Malaysia

The world has seen the impossible turned to reality as Turkiye, which was once a secularist stronghold nation has received a more pro-islamic government and the relaxing of the headscarf banning in the government schools, offices and universities throughout the country.

And now, Malaysia is experiencing a new dawn, a new era. Read them here:

Malaysia wakes to new political landscape

by Jalil Hamid 2 hours, 30 minutes ago

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysians awoke on Sunday to the biggest sea-change in politics in almost 40 years, with opposition Islamists and reformists winning control of five states and giving the government a humiliating wake-up call.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's multi-racial National Front coalition won just a simple majority in parliament, and his future as leader is in doubt after he watched a record majority collapse to the weakest level ever.

His predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad, urged him to quit. "He should accept responsibility," said Mahathir who now says he made a mistake in picking Abdullah as his successor and that the current deputy premier, Najib Razak, should have taken over.

The streets were unusually quiet on Sunday, with many older Malaysians fearful of trouble. The last time the coalition suffered a heavy setback, in 1969, race riots erupted. Barisan has effectively ruled since independence from Britain in 1957.

"I am shocked. It feels Malaysia is a whole new country. It feels like it has been reborn," Daniel Sia, a 27-year-old civil engineer, said as he did some Sunday shopping in the capital.

Lai Yee Fei, 28, who works at a coffee bar beneath Kuala Lumpur's soaring twin towers, said she was glad that Malaysia now had a strong opposition to press the government.

"It's good to give some pressure for Barisan Nasional," she said. "If the opposition parties can stand up for us, on behalf of us, I think it's good."

Abdullah, who only four years ago led the coalition to a record election victory on a wave of hope for change, faced a bleak political future on Sunday, his aides stunned but not willing to concede that he must step down.

"Frankly, this is not really the time because a lot of component parties (of Barisan) have been decimated," one close aide said, declining to be identified. "We have lost a few people and I think it's time to consolidate."

Abdullah's humbling performance nationally -- the coalition ended up with 62 percent of federal seats, down from 90 percent previously -- was compounded by the fact that his own home state, the industrial heartland of Penang, fell to the opposition.

ISLAMISTS ON THE RISE

The leftist Chinese-backed Democratic Action Party (DAP) won Penang, the hub for Malaysia's electronics industry, which accounts for about half of exports.

The opposition Islamist party PAS scored shock victories in the northern heartland states of Kedah and Perak and easily retained power in its stronghold in northeastern Kelantan state.

DAP and PAS also joined the People's Justice Party, or Parti Keadilan, to take control of the industrial state of Selangor and almost all the seats in capital Kuala Lumpur.

Political experts and economists wondered aloud whether the Barisan government could now pursue its agenda, including plans for $325 billion in development zones across the country.

Without a two-thirds parliamentary majority, Barisan can no longer change the constitution or make some key appointments and could struggle to alter electoral boundaries, powers that the opposition have long maintained were abused by Barisan.

"This is probably not good news for the equity market or the ringgit," said Tim Condon, Singapore-based head of Asia research for investment bank ING.

The pro-government media, Abdullah's cheer-leader during the campaign, changed tack on Sunday, urging Barisan to ensure better job and education opportunities in this multi-racial nation.

Malaysia is largely a mix of ethnic Malays, which make up about 55 percent of the population, and ethnic Chinese and Indians, who account for about a third.

A protest vote from Chinese and Indians, upset over what they saw as racial inequality in terms of business, job and education opportunities, had been expected. The Indians were merciless, voting out the leader of the coalition's Indian component party and handing a seat to an Indian activist currently in detention.

But Malays, who are all Muslims and traditionally support Barisan in good times and bad, completed a perfect storm for the government, handing the opposition Islamists a record vote in what was perceived as a protest against rising prices.

"Tomorrow we will start building a brighter future," said opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim, de facto leader of Parti Keadilan, which emerged as the biggest opposition party in federal parliament with 31 seats. "This is a new dawn for Malaysia."

Anwar, a Malay and former deputy premier, is widely seen as the only politician who could unify the ideologically divided opposition into a coherent and credible political force, though many political experts see this an almost possible task.

Anwar was banned from standing in the elections because of a criminal record -- he spent six years in jail until 2004 on what he called trumped-up charges -- but is expected to take over his old seat from his wife, who has held it since his 1998 jailing.

Results from the elections commission as of 0320 GMT showed the National Front with 137 seats in the 222-seat parliament versus 82 for the opposition, with 3 seats still being tallied.

(Writing and additional reporting by Mark Bendeich; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)

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Another one from The Star:

People have voted for change, says Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR: People have voted for change and they do not want the same type of representatives, said PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said he was touched by the support by Malaysians regardless of race.

In the next few weeks, the Opposition will have to ensure that state governments are formed and its members of parliament and state assemblymen are well versed in the issues that they have committed to resolve, said Anwar.

“Politics in Malaysia is not going to be the same any more,” he said, adding that people were expecting new clean faces to manage the states.

There were enough people of various races fighting corruption and poor governance, he said.

Anwar said the victory was not unexpected.

“On nomination day, we were aiming beyond the one-third but that was insurmountable to many people,” he said.

“I thank my fellow Malaysians for their support.

“Today at the ballot box, you listened to your heart with firm conviction that the time for change has arrived,” he said.

“This is a defining moment, unprecedented in our nation’s history,” he said, adding that the people had voted decisively for a new era where the Government must be truly inclusive and recognise all Malaysians, regardless of race, culture and religion.

Due to the shock to Umno and Barisan, Anwar said he had advised his supporters as well as PAS and DAP to remain calm.

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The end of the 3 decades in power era of Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu:

MIC in shambles with no leader in the wings

COMMENT BY BARADAN KUPPUSAMY

KUALA LUMPUR: Saturday’s Tamil Nesan had a massive pullout for birthday boy Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu with back-to-back coverage and full-page live-size photographs of him taken out by all 28 MIC candidates, hailing their chief as the greatest man ever born.

The surreal coverage was in stark contrast to the ugly mood among Indians who had already 'told' Samy Vellu that his time was up – through the Nov 25 protest and the boycott of Batu Caves during Thaipusam – and were waiting to say it again through the ballot box.

It was Samy Vellu’s final swan song. Except for Dr S. Subramaniam , S. Saravanan and K. Devamani, the other MIC candidates were all wiped out in an unprecedented wave of anger, opening up a new era in politics for Indians.

With most of the MIC bigwigs wiped out, the internal power equation in the party has gone haywire and only time will tell how it is going to unravel.

After such a beating it is also inconceivable that Samy Vellu should continue as party president. Sadly, he does not have a winner in a number two or three to hand over the party to.

The vice-presidents, until press time, appear to have been defeated as well, leaving the MIC leadership in shambles. It will take a long time for the mess to be sorted out.

The MIC representation in the Cabinet and the administration is also in question now that Samy Vellu, the sole Indian minister for 29 years, has been defeated. Who is the winner or loser? Who will to take his place in the Cabinet?

Indian voters form significant numbers in at least 67 parliamentary and 141 state assembly seats where they comprise between 9% and 46% of the electorate.

The results across the country indicate they had used their numbers to vote Opposition and helped change the direction of politics in the country.

They were the deciding factor in constituencies where Malay and Chinese votes divided. Indians who traditionally backed the Government made their small numbers count.

Twenty-two Indians contested in 18 parliamentary seats and 53 Indians contested in 40 seats. They comprised about 8% of contestants.

MIC fielded nine for Parliament and 19 for the state assemblies. The DAP had seven Indians for Parliament and 17 for state while PKR fielded 19 Indians.

In Parliament and the state assemblies, there will be about 20 Indians from the DAP and PKR and all will be sitting on the opposition bench. Previously, in the entire country there were only two Indian MPs – Karpal Singh and M. Kulasegaran – holding the fort.

It is going to be a lively Parliament and Opposition Indian MPs are going to fall over each other to voice Indian woes.

The results are a victory for Makkal Shakti, the force unleashed by Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar on Nov 25, which ballooned into a formidable Indian movement to carry away so many MIC leaders.

The larger question is of course Indian representation in the government, which would be lesser with so many casualties. The government will have to find new ways to fill the vacancies and not just promote losers into senators and then ministers.

Because of the defeat in some states, Indian representation is nil, making it a challenging task for the Barisan Nasional power-sharing formula to work.

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Tu la... sebok nak rampas kelantan, 4 negeri lain pon terlepas. Selangor, Perak, Kedah, Pulau Pinang and Kelantan are now officially under opposition rule comprising PKR, DAP and PAS.

I personally think the PM should step down as his state is no longer under the BN rule. Another shocking news, Johor, which was once noted for its strong BN fort, has succumbed to the political tsunami when the opposition coalition took over 1 parliamentary seat and 6 state seats.

Massive majority votes achieved by these following opposition candidates:


Fong Po Kuan (DAP), Jeff Ooi (DAP), Tan Seng Giaw (DAP), Chua Tian Chang (PKR), Fong Kui Lun (DAP), Teresa Kok (DAP), Tan Kok Wai (DAP), N.Gobalakrishnan (PKR), Mohd Razhi Salleh (PKR), Abdul Halim Abd Rahman (PAS), Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah (PAS), Salahudin Ayub (PAS), Lim Guan Eng (DAP), Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR), Liew Chin Tong (DAP), Chow Kon Yeow (DAP), Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP), Zahrain Mohd Hashim (PKR), Yeoh Soon Hin (DAP), Nga Kor Ming (DAP), Lim Kit Siang (DAP), M.Kulasegaran (DAP), Teo Nie Ching (DAP), Gobind Singh Deo (DAP), Tony Pua (DAP), S.Manikavasagam (PKR), Charles Anthony Santiago (DAP), Siti Mariah Mahmud (PAS), Yeoh Tseow Suan (DAP), Cheah Wing Yin (DAP), Xavier Arulanandam (PKR).


Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's daughter, Nurul Izzah won the Lembah Pantai seat , which was once belongs to Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil. His wife, Datin Dr.Wan Azizah Wan Ismail continues her dominance over Permatang Pauh for the third term since 1999.

While Kelantan remains under PAS rule, Pulau Pinang saw a major clean sweep by DAP and PKR for both Parliamentary and state seats.


They thought it was over for PKR , calling that party as irrelevant. Unfortunately, PKR proved them wrong and is probably having the last laugh now.


Never did it ever cross my mind that I am now living under the new opposition rule in Selangor, the state i've been dwelling in for 3 decades. Though my area has been under PAS wings for the third term, knowing that the whole state is governed by the PAS-PKR coalition is a whole new experience for me and probably for every Selangorean.


For a better governance, justice for all and make corruption a history.




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lapan tiga lapan 08-03-08

By the grace of Allah, I have placed my votes earlier this morning at a classroom in Sek.Men.BBBangi Jln 2 and am still in my post-vote trauma. I went on foot to the secondary school today which acted as one of our polling stations trying to feel all calm, collected and composed. After all, it was my first time voting and frankly speaking, I neither know any of the four candidates personally nor have I listened to any of their campaign ceramah (talk) live before during the 13 days campaign period. However, I do know one of them as someone who is residing nearby my place, and so he is practically in the neighbourhood. The most I did was to read on the candidates and based on the word of mouth of those who have seen their capabilities.



For the state (DUN) seat, we have Dr.Shafie Abu Bakar of PAS contesting against Dato Mohd Fathil Daud of BN. For the parliamentary seat, Dato Hoh Hee Lee of MCA-BN against DAP Teo Nie Ching. Out of the four candidates, Teo is the only lady, a 27 year old lawyer who did not get much opportunity to expand her campaigns in bangi area due to her probable "lack of resource". She faces Dato Hoh who also reads law yet a senior and more well known as a social activist. A rose among the three thorns, she could be singled out as representing an icon figure among the Bangi and Serdang voters in conjunction with today's International Women's day.



I think I spent more than the average 2 mins time spent at the ballot stand today. I was getting a bit anxious and started to perspire on marking the cross at one of the boxes for each DUN and Parliament seat. Although I did make up my mind a few days earlier on who to vote for but seeing a pencil in my hand, I began saying my prayers that no one will try to erase it off once the ballot counting takes place. By the way, pencils???? Typhoon Sue has shared her experience earlier in my previous comment box that she too was pretty miffed on using pencil as a mean to cross the ballot paper. And so the moment I saw a pencil on the right corner of my ballot stand, it was that very moment when my confidence started to wane. Holding my own grips while trying as hard as i could to stay focus on who or which party i was crossing at, i held the pencil firm in the writing position between my fingers of my right hand and began exercising my obligation to vote. It did not just stop there as i began bolding twice on the first cross line I made hoping that it will leave a more permanent mark on the ballot paper if ever some hamba allah trying to erase it.




Now, I can only hope and pray that whoever I have chosen to represent our voices would bring more progress, peace and security in Bangi and Serdang areas regardless of the race, background and creed. Bangi has higher Malay majority whereas Serdang has more Chinese populating the more urban side of the district. And with that in mind, they aptly placed Malay representatives contesting for bangi seat while the two Chinese candidates run for Serdang seat.



The ballot count results will be anounced later tonight. I reckon the congratulations are in order for whoever going to win his/her seat. And obviously the PM is in his full-alert mode till he gets to see the 2/3 majority result. Lepas tu, boleh la balik tidur lena lama-lama sikit eh?


I was wondering, is there anything like a 50-50 majority?

Phantom voters emancipated?

I saw it announced on the 8 o'clock news and here's what was reported from The Star:

EC cancels use of indelible ink

By RAPHAEL WONG

PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission has cancelled the use of indelible ink in polling this Saturday, citing public order and security reasons.

Its chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said following a meeting held Tuesday, the EC was obliged to make a firm and final decision to ensure the smooth conduct of the 12th general election.

He said provisions to the law needed if the ink was to be used still could not affect the constitutional right of a voter to cast his vote, even a person whose fingernail had been marked with indelible ink or one who refuses to have his or her fingernail marked this way.

"From a practical point of view, the issuance of a ballot paper to such a voter would render the EC's proposal meaningless and will not bring about a positive result, whilst having the potential to create misunderstanding as well as altercations and arguments at polling stations," he said.

The Federal Constitution gives you the right to vote, and a black mark on your fingernail should not bar you from exercising this right, he said.

Abdul Rashid said there were also reports made to the police confirming that certain irresponsible quarters had purchased indelible ink from abroad with the intention of creating confusion and suspicion as to the status of voters.

"The EC views these issues seriously as the election process and public order and security cannot be compromised," he said.

The use of indelible ink was first proposed last June to safeguard against multiple or phantom voting. Abdul Rashid then said that the system would be subject to amendments to the Election (Conduct of Election) Regulation 1981.

He said indelible ink had been chosen over other measures, such as a biometric system working off the MyKad (chip-based identity card carried by all Malaysians above the age of 12) because such such smartcard readers would have cost about RM60,000 each, and every voting stream would have to be equipped with one. Using such a system would have cost in excess of RM30mil. The commission bought about 47,000 bottles of the indelible ink, manufactured in India, for RM2mil.

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Pray tell me what are they thinking? As observant as I am, and a peace-loving muslim, I do not go for any political parties, but I hope to see more of us malaysians with "pure" intentions for the sake of the nation's welfare, peace, security and prosperity. In other words, I look for the qualities and the characters of the candidates and not so much on their party. To me, party taasub (fanatical) is not my thing. On top of that, it kinda gets a bit too predictable and corny the way campaigning is progressing. To a certain extent of making me nak muntah, or dalam bahasa kuno yet lebih intelektual: AD NAUSEAM!


Oh well, lets paint our nails then. But I dont do red, blue, or green ones! All i have are the silver and the magnolia-french manicure colour. Which makes me a neutral. Bothered!

And WHAT may I ask, the kind of person chosen to be the candidate that even the less educated ones gets to fight for the seat in this millenia era?

And by the way, even if they say that Malaysia is the only country that still have racial based political parties, well, have u not heard of Shiv Sena and BJP in India and BNP in England to say but a few examples of racist, nationalist, religion fanatics, even tribal based parties?

But I like to add a quote I obtained from my friend, AA's facebook side: "A leader/politician is like a diaper, it needs to be changed regularly".


At least now I know where have my bonus gone to seeing the regular TV campaign ads. Whatever for the good cause, or should i just sleep on it? Have a go at Barisan Nasional main campaign page here and click on those BN in Action on the right column. It comes in English and Malay language medium.

I better look for the Phantom of the Opera movie. That machoman Gerard Butler's in it! Drooollllllsssss....Tak pon, that 300 movie, Gerard Butler teaming up with Rodrigo Santoro....double drooollsssssssss.....so much better than worrying about my 1st time experience of voting this coming Saturday. So they say, there is always a first time for everything. Yet I am getting less and less anxious of which party gonna win, who's losing the majority votes, who is gonna hang him/herself in shame and who's disappearing from the political scene for ever.

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Photo: Bradford Uni, Leeds Uni, Sheffield Uni and Newcastle Uni first degree graduates

We had our first ever ReUnioN party, 12 years after our first year of our chemical engineering bachelor degree last Saturday, 01 March 2008. Shawal (the lady second from the right, a chemical engineering lecturer in UiTM) acted as the host as we had our high tea party at her house in Shah Alam. Although only a quarter of us made it to the reunion, it was a head start that will initiate more gatherings like this in the future.


Speaking of the people in the photo above, four are in the academic lines; 2 with a PhD Degree and another 2 are pursuing their PhD, another four are engineers and 1 is in the R&D in MARDI. The man and the woman in the third right are the husband and wife to our friends. Three of us are not married yet, and that includes moi. The rest are either with 1 kid or more. One of us is yet to have a child but he and his wife are happily married for 2 years.




May we all continue to achieve more success in our life and may our friendship and silaturraheem remain blossoming for many more years to come, ameen.

12th General Election -Malaysia PilihanRaya

HOT HOT HOT HOT

Demam pilihanraya, general election fever is back! When it is usually a once in 5 year affair, this year 2008 saw the Malaysian Parliament officially dissolved on the 13 February 2008 and now it's campaigning time, four years after the 11th General Election. Election day falls on the 8th March 2008, Saturday.


While my UNDI is rahsia (my vote is undisclosed), I like to follow some bits and bobs on the general election news and so on. I have never voted before, not in malaysia and certainly not in the UK even though i was there during the 2001 and 2005 election. But to see the voting results on the telly was something i like to look forward to. All my life in the UK from 1997 to 2005, it was ruled by Labour Party and the Prime Minister back then was Tony Blair. When I went back to the UK mid-2007, Tony was still the PM but his days were numbered. His successor was already widely known and now Gordon Brown, the former Labour Chancellor took the torch to rule the country. During my 1st degree all the way to my 1st half of my 1st year PhD, William Hague was the Tory Shadow PM, followed by Iain Duncan Smith in 2002, then successed by Michael Howard for 2005 election and now led by David Cameron.

Malaysia however is more dramatic when it comes to Election Day. We will be seeing thousands of sepanduk, banners, bunting, massive ones, small ones, annoying faces, goodfellas, future leaders, smiley faces, arrogant faces, high-spirited faces, samseng faces, angelic/innocent faces, pretty faces, lapuk faces, regular faces, balik-balik dia jugak faces, tak malu faces, smug faces, all will be seen on the roadside, highways, buildings, fences, bridges,in between coconut and palma trees, nearby the market, along the housing areas, and etc.

Whichever party you vote for, have a look at some of the parties website laden with campaign stories, kisah buruk2 kan parti or calon lain, gossips, campaign schedules, sape nak kasi apa campaign promises, interactives, party activities, who's who, basically whatever related to election day or not necessarily related to the campaign:

1. DAP
   
2. PAS
   
3. Parti Keadilan Rakyat
4. The ruling coalition party, Barisan Nasional: basically covered in most of the local daily newspapers i.e. Utusan, Berita Harian, The Star, The New Straits Times, and for the locals, they can view live on the tv on most of the national channels, i.e. RTM, TV3, NTV7, 8TV, Astro Awani, Astro Bernama, and TV9.
5. Those parties in Sarawak and Sabah, some are under the coalition and some are mainly representing the indigenous natives.
   

The first three parties are the Opposition Parties. We may not see them much on the TV except whenever something very, very vulgar, or some important announcement, or if they did not name any possible candidate and rendered the BN candidate menang tanpa bertanding (win without contest), the news will then be a bit of one-sided. However much dissent and disparagement, this is what it's gonna be like, nothing dissimilar to what I have seen during Tory-Labour-LibDem campaigns. The Labour superimposed William Hague into Thatcher's face and added the words like: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid on the poster and added fangs to Michael Howard, the so-called vampire from Transylvania to scare people away from ever thinking of voting him as the next PM.


ON the other hand, Malaysian newspapers and television channels would highlight whatever ridiculous things about the opposition parties be it in their speech or their retaliations during some interviews and usually the negative parts will be aired/printed. The mass and electronic media might even edit their interviews to make them look even more absurd and the public would be left thinking how these people are making a complete ass of themselves.

Let the propaganda battle begin!


While KJ is contesting in Rembau, Negri Sembilan , Mukhriz is sent to Jerlun instead of his original choice, Langkawi to spread the UMNO spirit in Kedah. OK, I stand corrected, it is more on the domination a priori on the ticket of culminating the perpaduan melayu spirit, pembangunan orang melayu luar bandar dan sebagainya.


Fong Po Kuan of DAP, who earlier on has announced nationwide of her pulling out as a candidate, has decided to keep up the DAP spirit by rejoining the election campaign to retain her Batu Gajah MP constituency in Perak.

Jeff Ooi, of the well-known, not to forget, controversial blog: Screenshot will be pursuing as a DAP candidate in Jelutong, Pulau Pinang. From a blogger to a political figure, he's quite adamant on battling against his old party, Gerakan, a BN coalition party and he even put up his own campaign website too: Jeff 4 Malaysia.

See, Malaysian election campaign is full of drama. I better be ready to have to bear the indelible ink mark on my finger thumb as a proof of voting.

Ikhlas,

Political scene observer

The Pharaohs won again!

I know citer nih dah agak basi but heck, for the past 2 years i am back in Malaysia, I've had the "privilege" , ok more like the energy and the motivation to watch Live Final African Cup nation match.

And even though I had to stay up till 3.00am on monday early morning , dengan tak tidonya siapkan segala lecture notes most of the day on sunday (10 Feb 2008), I wouldnt wanna miss watching the Pharaohs play against Cameroon and was hoping that they would win it again for the second consecutive time. And man, it was so damn berbaloi! It was only 1-0 win but enough for Essam Al-hadari and the gang to lift the trophy and I got to watch it. Of course la saya sungguh bangga kerana i am half egyptian!



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Natural woman (Aretha Franklin)

Looking out on the morning rain
I used to feel so uninspired
And when I knew I had to face another day
Lord, it made me feel so tired
Before the day I met you, life was so unkind
But your love was the key to peace my mind

Cause you make me feel, you make me feel, you make me feel like
A natural woman

When my soul was in the lost-and-found
You came along to claim it
I didn't know just what was wrong with me
Till your kiss helped me name it
Now I'm no longer doubtful of what I'm living for
Cause if I make you happy I don't need no more

Cause you make me feel, you make me feel, you make me feel like
A natural woman

Oh, baby, what you've done to me
You make me feel so good inside
And I just want to be next to you
You make me feel so alive
Cause you make me feel, you make me feel, you make me feel like
A natural woman

I dedicate this song to all the women who feels good about themselves married or unmarried, and to the men who gave such an effect into my life. They are very much instrumental in letting me feel like a natural woman.

Hello world, i am single yet selectively available.
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Last Monday, 18 February, I sent my car for 20,000 km service despite the fact that i had about 14, 650 km mileage. That 1 and a half year old toyota car of mine takde banyak jalan jauh, mostly rumah-UKM-rumah which is like 12 km pergi-balik. The furthest i ever drove was to Johor and Singapore.

I am considering on going on a driving journey to the east coast la as part of my birthday celebration later this July inshallah. This car of mine, he needs to get out more and more, and discover more places around Malaysia. Seriously it's been a long time since i've graced east coast grounds. And I have never been to any of the beautiful islands there. Perhaps i should drive to Kuala Terengganu and then take a ferry to Perhentian or Redang island. But before that, I had to book the accomodation first be it a package or not.

But then, i have also never been to Sarawak or Sabah at all! I'll see what i can do. If i could get a good air fare to any of the two borneo states, then I might wanna consider going there. However, the thought of driving to the east coast when it is not in the monsoon season really enticing. No matter how conservative those people in tganu and kelantan may be, i know i could get a nice cuci mata cause there are lotta cute looking dudes there. Medium built , or just about my height (5 foot 5) but for cuci mata, it should be fine.

I need to get a pair of new contact lenses too. I love my new glasses, the one i have been wearing since September 2007 but i think i wanna wear the contact lenses alternately...or whenever i feel like wearing. And my cute glasses will always be in my bag, very handy especially when my eyes feel dry and I need to take those contact lenses off.

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I am registered as a voter kawasan sek-1 bandar baru bangi. Its gonna be my 1st time ever to vote this coming 8 March 2008.

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Sangat la merapu this entry....but yeah, if ever, i am so glad and thankful to Allah that i have such a wonderful guardian angel, and God i know I have been naughty and all, but you are forever in my thought!

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Did i say i love sexy, fast cars? Dan oleh kerana Makji Esah has called me the Minah Rempit, I dare say that one of the things that really turns me on is beautiful sexy cars. I used to fall for big bikes, yet now i only save my feelings for cars (and some jet fighters too). I reckon i could get all high and orgasmic driving a really cool car, feeling its comfie seats while i am driving doesnt matter in heels or not, and feel myself one with the car. No need some hunky manly man (Leen's fav word) to make me feel so good once i am on that pretty hot wheel (fucking hot in here.....kipasing myself). Oh well, at least my silver toyota does give me that thrilling effect too, cruising smoothly on the highway. Gives the test-drive a whole new meaning i reckon when it applies to choosing men although i will test-drive them more on the wit and attitude and just a little bit of hotness. And some bit of moment of truth like making them reveal their true colours is my specialty.

After all, i cant afford to keep adding sins on me book, innit?



Anyways, ade la one time i was adoring horses, stallion of course. Started with my admiration on a black stallion, and then any tall, muscular , lean mean machine horses that usually gallops around Hyde Park. Those mighty beasts were spectacular. I didnt care who's riding them, but its the horses that i was eyeing on. And being in the college in South Kensington, i got to see sexy cars passing by almost everyday. There was once I was thinking of getting a Honda CRV before, but now, it is no longer my dream car. Still, if i am rich, I will surely get 1 or 2, maybe 3 cars to suit my mood and to cater for my needs.


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OK enough merapu-ing....letih sebenarnya ni!

In the spirit of Gong Xi Fa Cai 2008

Do you wanna know which animal represents which year you are born in? Click here for more information at Uncle Lee's blog.


What I found from an application in my Facebook on some analysis of my Fire Dragon element with some combination of the Cancer zodiac:

Horoscopes provided courtesy of Suzanne White and Master Rao.
Chinese Symbols	Animal Symbol	Ancient Symbol	Element Symbol
	The Dragon	The Morning	Fire
Brief Description	Dragons are witty, enthusiastic, popular, intelligent and gifted yet are also perfectionists.
Positive Traits	vibrant, magnanimous, charismatic, principled, self-sufficient, discriminating, compelling, sentimental, accomplished, noble-hearted, healthy and prodigiously shrewd
Negative Traits	bombastic, dissatisfied, ruthless, demanding, opinionated, mawkish, egocentric, defensive, power-mad, foolhardy, willful and pompous
General Description of All Dragons	The key to the Dragon personality is that Dragons are the free spirits of the Zodiac. Conformation is a Dragon's curse. Rules and regulations are made for other people. Restrictions blow out the creative spark that is ready to flame into life. Dragons must be free and uninhibited. The Dragon is a beautiful creature, colorful and flamboyant. An extroverted bundle of energy, gifted and utterly irrepressible, everything Dragons do is on a grand scale - big ideas, ornate gestures, extreme ambitions. However, this behavior is natural and isn't meant for show. Because they are confident, fearless in the face of challenge, they are almost inevitably successful. Dragons usually make it to the top. However, Dragon people be aware of their natures. Too much enthusiasm can leave them tired and unfulfilled. Even though they are willing to aid when necessary, their pride can often impede them from accepting the same kind of help from others. Dragons' generous personalities give them the ability to attract friends, but they can be rather solitary people at heart. A Dragon's self-sufficiency can mean that he or she has no need for close bonds with other people.
Detailed Description of The Fire Dragon	The Fire Dragon is a powerful force to be reckoned with. This is a Dragon doubled! The Fire Dragon can move from calm and collected to combustible in a matter of seconds. In some ways the Fire Dragon is his or her own worst enemy. These Dragons cannot help feeling they are valuable and all-knowing. When they are right their vehemence and vigor is an asset to the cause, and though they value objectivity, they do not always employ the best decision-making measures, and sometimes jump to the wrong conclusion. They also suffer from recklessness and quick tempers. Yet, when they do keep their temper, emotions, and rivaling spirit under control, they emanate a commanding influence on other people.

Eastern Gem Stone		Eastern Ruling Planet
	Amethyst		Mars
Western Zodiac Sign Try the New Cute Horoscopes A Western Zodiac companion app for Chinese Zodiac		Yin or Yang
	Cancer		Yang (Light / Masculin)
Combined Zodiac (East meets West)	The Cancerian Dragon
	Cancer Dragons have polished tastes and are generally an artist of some sort. Their homes act as show- cases of these artistic talents. These are less self-indulged characters and are caring, tender, individuals. For them a tight-knit relationship and established home are necessary for happiness.
Month of the Dragon	April	Direction	East-SouthEast (ESE)
Lucky Colors	Black, Gold, Green	Hours	7:00am - 9:00am
Zodiac Position	Fifth	Lucky Numbers	3, 4, 5, 6, 15, 21, 34, 35, 36 and 45.

The Dragon Lover	People love Dragons so much because they are generous, charismatic, irresistible, and so brave that standing beside them banishes fear. They generate excitement and turn heads anywhere they go. They are free-spirited and impulsive and can help others achieve their dreams. Others love to be around Dragons because they have a way of making people feel better. Dragons are quick to fall in love, but do not surrender their independence easily leaving most of them to live life by themselves. Yet, an smart, witty, and funny companion may intrigue the Dragon long enough to make him want to get married. And once the Dragon becomes committed, he is unlikely to ever leave.
Compatibility	EXCELLENT	Rat, Monkey, Rooster
	GOOD	Horse, Tiger, Sheep, Pig, Snake
	FAIR	Rabbit
	DIFFICULT	Dragon, Dog, Ox

	Family Life Home and Abroad
The Dragon as a Parent	Because people born in the year of the Dragon are so working on furthering their careers, they usually Put off having and raising children until later than many of the other Chinese horoscope signs. Parenting doesn't come very naturally easily to the Dragon. However, when Dragons do become parents, they approach it with the same enthusiasm as other endeavors. They are proud parents and tend to boast about the accomplishments and good looks of their children. Dragons, noted for their benevolence, tend to shower their children with toys and spending money. It has been remarked that they substitute material things for quality time with their children. Even so, Dragons take parenting seriously and are quite protective of their children's welfare. Should anything upset them, or should anyone wrong them, the Dragon will prepare to fight and avenge the people who have hurt or belittled their offspring.
The Dragon as a Child	Like their adult counterparts, children born in the Year of the Dragon have vivid personalities and are independent from birth. Noisy and active, parents should stimulate their imaginations as soon as possible. Their imagination and inquisitive natures can be troublesome for the Dragon child and can often land them in a heap of trouble at school which can cause teachers and other parents to deem them troublemakers or naughty. Sometimes Dragon children are loners who daydream and drift to into their own world of make-believe. Either way, Dragon children demand careful attention and special handling in order to bring out the best in them. Their creativity and talents must be encouraged, even if it means spending extra time in certain school subjects in order to help them master the subject.
The Dragon as a Friend	Dragons are usually popular people, but because of their personalities, they seem to gather as much criticism as they do esteem. Due to their tumultuous temperaments, Dragons are not the most sensitive friends to those in need of a shoulder to cry on. Those who truly know the Dragon know he is a loving soul who will become your best ally in times of need. Once the dynamic Dragon has given his friendship, he will not let his friends down and will never falter in his allegiance to his companions. To a Dragon, a friend is a friend for a lifetime. Incredibly honest, Dragons are known for sincerity and are trusting souls. Because of this honesty, Dragons don't realize others may not demonstrate or uphold the same codes of ethics. Making the discovery that they placed their trust in someone who is dishonest makes the Dragon person quite sad, yet much more perceptive for future encounters.
The Dragon at Home	Not the most domesticated of the Animal signs, Dragons and may be more content out and about rather than at home. Nevertheless, with their imagination and artistic sense, they can enjoy decorating their home or anywhere else where their extravagance can be expressed.. A Dragon's home should be as large and majestic as his personality, providing space for the fiery temperament or emotional eruptions that accompany their character.
The Dragon on Vacation	Dragons are attracted by the bizarre. No self-respecting Dragon desires to walk in a tourist's footsteps. Instead, they take a lot of gratification in finding hidden destinations, or, closer to home, locations off the beaten track. But Dragons also need thrills, which they might find by taking an unplanned winter break to go skiing or a spontaneous rock climbing trip in the spring. They may even test their bravery by daring to ride the highest roller coaster in the world. Dragons are also sentimental at heart, so conquering their childhood haunts, or taking a second honeymoon would bring immense pleasure too.

	Career Outlook for 2008
First Trimester	Work as far as possible in the still and without haste. Indeed, during the greater part of this period you'll be inclined by precipitation to make mistakes the consequences of which may be serious for your future. You'll have to make sustained efforts in your work. This will be the only means for you to fare as well as possible. Do not tackle all problems at the same time, solve them one after another, without precipitation, and then you'll achieve success.
Second Trimester	The astral influxes of the first two months of this period will help you have easier contacts in your various moves. However, beware of the bad influence of certain stars who will incline you to heedlessness and lack of precision. During the last month, you'll refuse to accept not to be recognized at your true value and will try to put things right. You'll also have an occasion to show your will and express your personal opinions very crudely. Unexpectedly however, this will earn you the consideration and approval of others.
Third Trimester	Everything will be well for you in the professional field. Well supported by the stars, you'll have many an occasion to show that you always remain among the most competent ones. You'll be more creative than ever, and your know-how will place you under the floodlights. If you want to change career or company, this period will favorably allow you to take the necessary steps, to undergo tests, to get interviews. More particularly, everything will go well if you're an actor or artist; you'll work feverishly and successfully. But if you're a civil servant or an obscure worker, then the period will hardly be agreeable to you. The same thing will hold true if you work in an import-export company.
Fourth Trimester	Restrained by the stars, you'll be less prone to pugnacity during these months than during the last ones. You now prefer to play for time and do what is necessary to preserve your tranquility. But this will not prevent you from taking steps to consolidate your acquired advantages and even to refuse to compromise in certain respects. Nonetheless, you'll have some problems to cope with in your work - disagreement with an associate, hostile attitude of a superior, worsening of working conditions, etc. Prudence will be necessary: remain vigilant by refraining from any thoughtless decision and by seeking counsel and aid in case of important difficulty.
The Dragon At Work	The Dragon's originality is the most impressive and outstanding of all his characteristics. The Dragon is quite imaginative and always able to see new paths where others may run into brick walls. Dragons are very adaptable and are fit for various occupations, especially if those occupations allow him to take the limelight. In any of these occupational situations, the Dragons will take a radical approach. Dragons work hard, but would rather give orders than receive them. They should avoid jobs that encompass too much routine, and should move toward jobs in which their self-reliance can be an asset.
Well Suited Dragon Occupations	Computer analysts, Inventors, Engineers, Architects, Lawyers, Philosophers, Psychoanalysts, Brokers, Managers, Salespeople, PR People, Advertising agents, Armed forces members, Campaigners, Politicians

Dragon Health

Dragons take thrilling risks and burn the candle at both ends so they are fortunate to be blessed with good health. Among the most hearty of the Animal signs, they can suffer bad health as a result of stress. Symptoms of their personalities often stem from emotional outbursts and can range from tension headaches to depression to hypertension. Dragons can remedy these problems by maintaining their cool, implementing a routine in their daily lives, and utilizing exercises such as yoga or tai kwon do that soothe the mind and spirit as well as tone the body.

Money and The Dragon

Dragons like to spend money and are charitable themselves as well as with others. They do not know the meaning of the word "accumulate," and making money does not intrigue them as it may others. Many Dragons will take big chances with their finances, sometimes betting on their shirt and losing it right off of their backs. Yet, they were born with the Midas Touch, and it very rare that a Dragon remains poor for long. Dragons will always be straightforward in financial dealings and can always be trusted.

YEAR OF THE RAT BEGINS FEB. 7, 2008!

GONG XI FA CAI!

We have 2 dragons in my family , that are my mother (dragon with water element) and myself (the fire dragon), 2 rats (eldest sister:water element and 3rd brother:wood element), 2 monkeys (father:wood element and 1st brother:metal), 1 snake (3rd sis:fire element), 2 goats ( 4th sister:earth element and 1 nephew:water element, son of the 3rd sis), 2 dogs (2nd bro:water element and 1st sis inlaw), 3 tigers (3rd bro-inlaw, 5th sis:fire element and 1st niece:earth element, daughter of eldest sis)), 2 roosters (1st bro inlaw and 6th sis:water element), 1 ox (2nd bro inlaw).

Element reference (click here for source):

Those of you born under the influence of the Chinese Astrology Element of Water act with the assured fluidity of a river, affecting your environment with your strength and quiet charm. Creative and captivating, diplomatic and intuitive, Water individuals are the masters of subtle persuasion. Without even appearing to try, you can gain someone's trust and affection, and once you've got them they'll follow you anywhere. You make everyone feel special, noting and praising each person's unique talents. Your inherent pliability, the fluid calm that makes you so appealing, can also make you sometimes too passive, too willing to be what someone wants you to be. You tend to take the shape of whatever container you're poured into.Rather than letting others dam up your energies, let yourself flow freely!

Like the rings of a tree circle out and expand through the years, so too do those born under the Chinese Astrology Element of Wood. You Wood personalities seek chances for growth and for renewal in all you do, 'branching out' (excuse the pun!) whenever possible. Your open, expansive mind makes you a compassionate and generous friend, colleague and ally. You understand the inherent value of what you and those around you possess, and your confidence allows you to act upon your beliefs. While your strength forms the backbone of any social group or partnership you're a part of, you could have a tendency to be a bit too systematic in your thinking, and sometimes your passivity allows others to overwhelm and inhibit you. Don't let yourself be lost in a vast forest, an anonymous tree among millions of others. Make your mark on the world -- you're especially adept at business ventures.

Those of you born under the influence of the Chinese Element Fire burn through life with your fierce charm, your impulsive enthusiasm and your restless emotions. A natural leader, you inspire with your decisive action and dramatic expression; people can't help but be magnetically drawn to you. Where will you lead your followers? Likely into an exciting adventure of some sort. You're instinctual, but your mind sparks with new ideas and clever solutions. In love, you're highly-charged -- even combustible at times! Hot tamales to the core, these dynamic individuals can see straight to the heart of an issue and make it work for them. You may seem single-minded, but you just refuse to be swayed from a cause they believe to be important.

Those of you born under the influence of the Chinese Astrology element of Metal are determined, self-reliant and forceful. You enjoy the good life and all it has to offer -- luxury, comfort and freedom, especially. You're like a reclusive film star: You want the acclaim, but you also want to be left alone. You create your own success, building your desired destiny with single-minded focus. Others look up to you in awe of your commanding, confident presence. While you Metal individuals are strong and virtuous, you can be a bit set in your ways. No arm-wrestling with the metallic ones, either; they might break that appendage in two! You can be a stern taskmasters as well, demanding the most from yourself and those you love.

Those of you born under the influence of the Chinese Astrology Element of Earth are wise, serene and prudent, firmly rooted in your morals, ethics and responsibilities. Led by logic rather than emotion, you seek to plan your life as far out in advance as possible, to expect the unexpected and control your destiny down to the last detail. Your disciplined reserve -- which can come across as true grace if you work it right -- garners you respect and admiration. You're so bound by logic and dependent upon controlling your situation that you have a fear of the unknown. Consequently, you question your instincts, distrusting even your most cherished dreams and seeing your whims as frivolous distractions. Don't be a stick in the mud, Earth Signs; share your wisdom and your peace of mind with a needy world.



N.B: It is not that I rely wholly on the above analysis, what fascinated me was how they managed to describe more than 75% accuracy of my personal traits among other things. In Islam, fortune telling is considered haram (forbidden) and only Allah knows what lies in our future. Having said that, I am more interested to find out what the chinese and the star zodiac horoscopes say about what I am rather than religiously (and God forbid, blindly) follow whatever prediction they have on me.

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Defending champion Egypt will play Cameroon for the Final African Nations Cup 2008 held in Accra, Ghana. The Pharaohs team (Egypt) beat Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire) in the semi-final by 4-1, a real stunning winning much better when they defeated the Didier Drogba team on penalty shoots during the previous final match in 2006. Meanwhile Cameroon had a dramatic win 1-0 against the host team, Ghana.

The main man of the match had to be Essam El-hadari (pic left), the Egyptian goalkeeper who has done a superb job only to let one goal amiss during the whole match.

2 of the 4 goals were scored by Amr Zaky (pic below).

Not only are they brilliant team on the field, those Pharaoh lads are blessed with good looks and physiques too. I think Malaysia football should think of sending their boys to middle east countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Iran to polish up their footie skills and not pining for some attentions from the English football scenes only. They could also learn some dribbling skills from those African lads like the Cameroonians and Ivory Coastians knowing that there are many of them plays for the English Premier League as well as in the World Cup.

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I will write something on the Australian Open in the next entry. Most of the pictures I saved are in my office PC.

But just a brief report: Serbian Novak Djokovic won the first Grand Slam match for this year against the French newcomer with a Muhammad Ali's look, Jo Wilfred-Tsonga. The former beat the favourite, Roger Federer with a straight set and the latter stunned Rafael Nadal also in a straight set duel in the semifinal.

In the Ladies single, Russian Maria Sharapova made a comeback win, beating Serbian Ana Ivanovic on a straight set. This was her third Grand Slam win to date.



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I was in Bangkok last December and 2 weeks ago in Jakarta, attending conferences. It was also my first ever visit to both ASEAN cities and more on that in the next entry.