Disappointment* - The Cranberries

Disappointment #1 - The Carling Cup Final

This is the ground where the disappointment took place, the place which have brought much joy to me, a Reds' fan - but not to the Gunners' fans:-

I didn't believe that there would be a day like this - when i publicly declare that i was disappointed that Arsenal lost!!! But such a day has arrived!

Maybe it's cuz the opposition was (as one of me mates describe) the Bank of Chelsea. Prolly, its partly to do wif the Blues' fans raining down missiles on Fabrecas each time he tried to take a corner in the 1st half. I guess the fact that the great sulk (no, no, not Anelka but Henry - no doubt a talented footballer but... *sigh*) wasn't playing helped. Also, the "support the underdog" mentality always prevails in me when the Reds are not playing.

But the thing that won me over was the manner they played in the first 20 mins or so! The young Gunners, some still in their teens, the average age being only 21, played absolutely beautiful football! It's no wonder they outplayed the Reds at Anfield last month. They controlled tha game, they were creative and they were so so skillful! Their passing, their first touch, their control of the ball, their vision - brilliant!

I believe a truly neutral Blues' fan will have to hold up their hands and say that Chelski got their equaliser against the flow of play!!!

In my view, wat really made the difference in the end was not so much the experience of the team in Blue but the players playing in between the posts for both teams. Cech was simply brilliant and prevented many sure goals/goalscoring opportunities. While Drogba's goals were good, they weren't "unstoppable" (like the one he scored against Liverpool last year).

Oh well... i'll always be a Reds' fan but i am excited at the prospect of watching these young Gunners take over the senior team!!!

Disappointment #2 - The 79th Academy Awards

Well, i have a few mini gripes first. Ellen was alrite. She had her moments - like when she referred to Jennifer Hudson and said "Jennifer Hudson is here - she was on American Idol and America didn't vote for her. But then Al Gore is here - and America did vote for him." The other good one was asking Steve Speilberg take a photo of her and Clint Eastwood to put in her MySpace - and she not being satisfied wif Speilberg's first attempt!!!

But generally, it wasn't brilliant - i guess its unfair to compare her with Billy Crystal. But i enjoyed Chris Rock (2 yrs ago) more!

Another mini gripe was the blunder the voice-over person made when The Departed won for ... hmmm... Best Adapted Screenplay i think and she said that it was based on the Japanese movie, The Infernal Affairs!!!! What the...????? How can they make such a mistake????

At least when Scorsese won his Oscar, he set it right by saying it's a Hong Kong movie.

Ah... Scorsese. It's sad that he had to win it this way. People will look back and wonder if he won Best Director for The Departed because he really directed that movie well - or was it because of all his past directing achievements??? Methinks it's more the latter.

And finally - The Departed. Best Movie?????? You've gotta to be kidding!!!!! The original Hong Kong The Infernal Affairs was miles better! It was way shorter but superior in so many ways (save for Andy Lau)!!!! Scorsese took around 2 and a half hours but none of the characters were developed well - not like the HK original. At best, it (The Departed) was an alrite movie - but that's only cuz it had a brilliant storyline.

The only bright spark in The Departed for me was Mark Wahlberg who lost out in the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

*Sigh* Still, it was not all gloom. Al Gore won - and his appearance wif Leo was pretty good. Jack Black and Will Ferrel's duet was brilliant too! And thankfully, Helen Mirren won!!! Just like her, i was afraid that people were tired of seeing her win all the time!

Oh well... the Oscars disappointing me is nothing new, from the days when Forrest Gump beat Quiz Show, to Cate Blancett not winning for Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Love beating Saving Private Ryan!!!!

Life goes on!

*Track #8 in their 2nd album, No Need To Argue, lyrics by their brilliant lead singer, Dolores.

If ever you're in my arms again* - Peabo Bryson

I miss my bolster! :-(

It wasn't really bad when i was in the UK - after all, i had a nice soft duvet to hug to sleep every nite - and during the warm summer nites, i'll roll it up to use like a bolster.

But after moving out of me room and having to sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor for a couple of weeks, i started to miss having a bolster. A little. So it was wif great joy when we were travelling around France and came to this Youth Hostel in Carcasone where they had bolsters!!!!! (see pic on the right). The catch however was that they din give pillows! What the...???

Anyways, when i got home, i found out that me bolster and me blanket have both been... "sacrificed"!!!! My blanket is now four separate bathroom floor mats while me bolster... no, it's too painful to even talk about it!!!!

Still, i heroicly told me mom that i dun need a bolster, having survived so long without one. But the thing is that we dun use duvets here - not unless one wants to wake up drenched in sweat in the middle of the nite!!!! So there's nothing to hug.

I had to make do wif a small cushion but i knew it was time to get a new bolster! I told me mom about it when we were out shopping the other day. And guess wat greeted me in me room when i got home today? Take a look:-

Yippee!!!! But hang on, dun pop no champange bottles yet! All is not as it seems to be!!!!

It was actually a "second-hand" bolster!

And guess who used it before?

It was me nephew!!!!!

And guess wat was the reason why it's no longer his?

He OUTGREW it!!!!!!!

In light of this new info, let's look at it in a clearer persepective - here's me new bolster:-

I took it down, found me mom, held it up and looked at her. We just both broke out in laughter!!! She did try to explain that she din know wat to do wif it for now and since i was pining for one...

Oh well... it'll have to do. For now!!! Just until i get a new one!

*His greatest solo hit, hitting the charts in 1985

Come together* - The Beatles

It din take me long to immerse meself - or shall i say, reimmerse meself - in one of our local cultures here. I'm talking about the "mamak" culture!

For the uninitiated, the mamak culture refers to the hanging out on roadside or al fresco styled eateries (altho now some are indoors and cafe-like) late in the nite/early hours of the morning. It is the place to hang out and get together - and it's always opened, except during the Muslim festivals.

I had wanted to blog about it - but i found the Wikipedia write-up on it really good (me lecturers would be frowning on me for referring there!) and i decided to just reproduce part of it here:-

The mamak stall has been etched permanently into Malaysian culture, much in part because of its ubiquitous nature, especially in cities. The popular culture of hanging out at mamak stalls has permeated all walks of life in Malaysian society. Thus, the mamak stall is very much a melting pot of cultures, a symbol of multiracial harmony. People of all races, religion and age would frequent a mamak stall to while away their time gossiping or watching a late-night football game as they sip hot teh tarik. ... No other eatery has quite as much cultural significance, save for the kopi tiam.

Good stuffs-eh? I couldn't have said it any better!!! Read the rest here.

To me, it has played a big part of me life back here - and continues to do so! I have had a lot of memorable mamak sessions, some wonderful, some hilarious - which we still talk about today (and laugh over it again), some horrible! Many a frenships have been strenghtened over a glass of teh tarik and a piece of roti planta eaten on a rickety table, sometimes wif roaches and rats scurrying nearby, and most of the times wif mozzies feasting on our legs!!!! And i'm sure there be many more of such brilliant sessions.

Mamak anyone? ;-)

*A brillaint song which hit #1 in the Billboard Hot 100 Chart but failed to do so in the UK Singles chart! Covered by many including Aerosmith (you can hear it on the Armageddon soundtrack) and a brilliant version by Robin Williams together wif Bobby McFerrin!

The One and Only* - Chesney Hawkes

Only one English team has ever beaten Barcelona FC at the famous Nou Camp stadium in Spain - and that was in the mid 70s. Last nite (early this morning in M'sia), Liverpool FC rewrote that history! :-)

No, the record still stands that only one English team has ever achieve that feat - only that now, that English team has done it TWICE!!!!!! Yes, Liverpool FC is the English team to have beaten the home side at Nou Camp, Barcelona - and they have done it two times!!!!!

Just in case you missed the game, here are the Liverpool goals:-

Admittedly, both are a result of mistakes of the home team - but victory nevertheless is sweet!

*Written by Nik Kershaw, this song spent 5 weeks in #1 on the UK singles' chart in 1991

Fat* - Weird Al Yankovic

Help!!!!! I can't stop eating!!!!!

I've not stopped eating since yesterday. It was a true piggy new year - eat, sleep, eat, sleep!!!!

Just to give you an idea of how "bad" things are, we went out for not one, not two but THREE suppers last nite (i must say, 3 really good ones - Maggi Goreng at BP mamak, Roti Planta at that corner shop in SS2, and finally Nasi Lemak Antarabangsa down town). I got home close to 6 am this morning, slept, only to be awaken by me nephew and neice to eat breakfast! I am now waiting for me mate to come and take me out for lunch!!!!!

Yup, i feel fatter, me mates say i look fatter and me mom corroborates that too!

And it's just the 2nd day of the Spring Festival celebration!!!!! *sigh*

Oh well... here's wishing you guys all a continued wonderful celebration! And to those overseas, enjoy going to class/work today! Muahahahahahaha!!!!! Hey, i went thru that last year so i feeeeeel for you! Muahahahahaha!

Yes, i look fatter, dun i?

*A hilarious spoof of Michael Jackson's Bad

Bitter Sweet Symphony* - The Verve

This time of the year has been described as the biggest human migration! It is the time of the year when Chinese people from all over the world return to their homes for the "reunion dinner" and celebrate the Chinese New Year (or the Spring Festival if you are in the northern hemisphere)!

Many are on their way back home now. Others, like yours truly, have made the journey weeks ago. It is indeed nice to be able to be back home this year after spending it without me family in Colchester last year - that being only the second time in me life i have done that.

Yet, there's this feeling of bittersweet to this year's celebration. I was looking forward to it for so long - and now, it's not at all like how i imagined it to be, nor how i remembered it used to be.

Because of me dad's health problem, this year's celebration has been greatly affected. While we are thankful that his health has improved a lot, the rest of us are sick or weakened in one way or another - the stress of the past weeks and months taking its toll. In fact, ushering the new year was the last thing on our minds - and at times, it seemed more like an annoyance. We've just been so busy running to and fro the hospital, in addition to our usual daily chores and responsibilities.

So, the decorations are still not up yet. There'll be none of me sis' famous anual choc chips cookies nor her moist choc cake (we'll have to make do with the cakes i've baked). Me mom and i had to go shopping at 11 pm when the daily chores have been completed - thank God that Giant extended its shopping hours. Tonite's reunion meal - while is quite lavish on a certain level, pales in comparison to the ones we use to have. Other than meself, i wonder if anyone else managed to buy new clothes...

In addition to all that, what makes it bitter is also me missing my "extended family" - the people whom were my fathers, my mothers, my brothers, my sisters, my mates, when i was over in the UK.

Yet, in some ways, this is all good - it's like an "unplugged" version of Chinese New Year, stripped of all its glitz and fanfare, reminding us of things which really matter - family and frens.

And i'm so blessed to be able to celebrate with them here - some physically, some in spirit. And i'm so blessed to be able to call 2 places my home.

过年好
恭喜发财
歲歲平安
年年有餘

Have a wonderful year of the PIG!!!!!!

Here are some pics taken in KL the other day:-

*A wonderful song which unfortunately is remembered more now for the legal controversy of using "too much" of a sample. This song was also featured in the final scene of Cruel Intentions.

Buses and trains* - Bachelor Girl

I finally found time to go to the capital and hang out! I travelled around relying on buses and trains - and loads of walking too!

Since i dun own a car anymore - and in view of the crazy price petrol costs these days, i decided to try out the public transportation. And was suitably impressed.

I took a bus from USJ right up to KL Sentral - the Rapid KL buses. It was clean, new and comfortable! Aircond was actually cold, seats wif head rests, ample leg space - all for the price of RM2 per day! Yup, taking a leaf from the UK buses, they sell day tickets for less than 30 pence!!!

As for the LRT and the monorail, they have been around for a while - and are always convenient when travelling within the city.

It's nice to be driven around - i took the opportunity to enjoy the sights that i've missed for the past year or so. I could even take a short nap on the way back home as the bus snaked thru the traffic jam along the Federal Highway.

And i guess going round in public buses and trains reminds me of going around when in the UK (Minus the breaking out into buckets of sweats when walking to and from the stations/stops).

So it was a good outing and i managed to take some nice pics too! :-) But i forgot to take water (took along an empty bottle) and pain-killers, and i ended the day wif a massive migraine! Oh well...

*The only international hit from this Aussie group. Used to love this song!

I want it all* - Queen

I remember how i used to walk from the Courts to the car park across the street, and look wif envy at the tourists standing there, snapping photos of the Court house and the Merdeka Square , wishing i could be like them.

Today, i was at Merdeka Square, snapping photos of the court house... and i look wif envy at the lawyers walking from the courts across the road to the car park.

No regrets... but i do miss practice.

*One of Queen's hits written and sung by Brian May. Apparently, due to the themes of rebellion and social upheaval in the lyrics, the song has allegedly been used as an anti-apartheid song in South Africa.

Love bites* - Def Leppard

Her eyes suddenly welled up in tears as she recalled how he would abuse her verbally and made her feel so bad about herself.

It was then that i realised why in the past couple of hours of chatting, there was none of her trademark laughs, the modulation in her voice as she gets excited (which she does easily), the twinkle in her eyes.

She managed to pull herself together and courageously recounted the harrowing experience she had - while i sat there in silent shock... and seething anger!

Here was one of the most wonderful persons i have met in me life, someone who never failed to raise a smile on me face, make me feel good about life - someone who truly deserve only the best things in life for that is what she is.

Yet, he would yell at her, take out his frustrations on her, does things to hurt her, leave her in in tears, made her feel so utterly useless. And she had to go thru it all in silence, and all by herself as he disallowed her to tell anyone about his fits of rage. And when he has had enuf - which is not much and therefore happens often - he would walk out on her, only to come back and emotionally blackmail her to take him back, using God and guilt to ensure he gets his way. He din have to for she would have accepted him back willingly, in love - and she did. She always did.

But the screaming did not stop. He started throwing things, breaking her things.... and once even almost threw something at her!

What a jerk! What a loser! I have half a mind to travel all the 200 kilometres to where he is and bash the big bully up... well, not really, for that would make me one like him. Instead, i would like to give him a piece of me mind, and tell him to leave her alone and never ever hurt her again.

But i can't.

She has decided to give him another chance. Sure, there are still moments of anger displayed but she assured me that the frequency has decreased. And she knows that if she tries harder, things would improve - altho to me mind, it is obvious that the person who should try is not her.

I would have liked to tell her to leave him, to forget about that b*gger. She deserves so much better - and she could so easily find someone who would value her and love her for who she is.

But she wouldn't. Not now. Can't you see? She loves him...

My heart goes out to her and i only pray that she will be loved - as much as she loves.

But if that fella ever lays a finger on her or hurt her physically, i will put my foot down and get her to leave that loser. And he will have to deal with me...

Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
1 Cor 13v4-8 (NIV)

*Surprisingly, this was the only no. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 of this hard rock band from Sheffield, despite them selling more records than any rock band in the 80s.

Dream a little dream of me* - The Beautiful South

I dreamt of you last nite!

I hate it when that happens...

Well, no, not really. I hate it when i wake up and realise it was just a dream. :-(

*Wonderful jazzy song, covered by loads of wonderful singers including Doris Day, Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald, The Mamas and Papas, Tony Bennett & KD Lang, and even Miss Piggy of the Muppets! This version by the Beautiful South was done in both English and French and featured on the soundtrack of French Kiss, a rom-com starring Meg Ryan & Kevin Kline.

Queen of the night* - Whitney Houston

The Queen of last nite was none other than Helen Mirren who won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in the film, "The Queen".

In my humble opinion, she thoroughly deserves that award - and all other awards she had won for that role, including a Golden Globe last month. She was simply brilliant in the role! She was so regal and believable as the Queen. One look at her and you can see how she is carrying herself as the Queen of the United Kingdom, and yet at the same time, trying to deal with the difficult and delicate situation surrounding Diana's death.

I haven't completed watching the movie yet - saw half of it on the first leg of me flight back home only to discover that the plane that took me on the 2nd leg had no video on demand!!!!! But i loved every moment of it that i have seen.

I loved being able to see what took place behind the iron gates of Buckingham Palace, how the new Prime Minister (played convincingly by Michael Sheen who really looks like a young Tony Blair - see pic above. Oh, and you also should see Helen McCrory who acted as a mischievous Cherie!) is invited to form the government, how the royal family struggled to maintain tradition and practice which was not the popular stance, how the nation grieved for the meaningless loss of the young life of the former Princess of Wales, how the Prince of Wales (without his trademark ears) dealt with the situation and handled the young princes.

If however, all that i have said does not interest you at all, then stay away from the movie. I have heard mates saying that they found it oh so boring - this coming from someone who spent more than a year in the UK.

But if you still remembered - and was affected in some way by - that fateful day when Princess Diana was killed in the road accident in France and what took place in the subsequent weeks, if the British Monarchy and politics holds some interest for you, then believe you me when i say that you are in for a treat!

I can't wait to see the conclusion of the movie!

p/s - pic of Dame Helen wif her BAFTA mask taken from BBC News Online while the other 2 pics taken from links at IMDB

*A song wif cool slap bass featured on the soundtrack of The Bodyguard

Forever young* - Alphaville

A lot of funny and weird things have been said to me since i got back but today's question has gotta take the cake! This older sister in Christ came up to me after the service and asked:-

"Hey, you use botox issit??"

She had to ask me that a couple of times as i was cracking up and couldn't deny it wif a straight face!

*A famous eighties pop song by the West German rock/sythpop group which surprisingly never manage to enter the US Top 40 despite being released 3 times as a single there!

Patience* - Take That

...count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

James 1v2, 3 (NKJV)

*Their first hit after reuniting - got all of us going falsetto last year! :-)

Nightshift* - The Commodores

I'm on the nightshift again tonite.

Me life is full of these little ironies. Just when me bio clock had adjusted to M'sian time and i was sleeping and waking like how "normal" people do, i have to readjust it to be nocturnal again!

Being the 3rd night in a row, it'll be much better. Anyways, it ain't all that bad. I keep awake watching Friends, House and whatever movie i have on me laptop. It takes much effort tho, not to laugh out loud watching Friends. :-)

p/s - watching Friends in the wee hours of the mornings makes me really miss me fellow Friends-fan mates back in Cochester! Miss u guys a lot!

*The 1985 hitsong by the group from which Lionel Ritchie came out from (yeah, Nicole's dad). It was their first hit after he left and it won them a Grammy in 1985 for best R&B Performance by a duo or group with vocals.

Nobody else* - Take That

Classic quote:-

"The only eligible men around are those who have been taken"!

Wha..???

*The title song of their 2nd album. Now they're back, minus one Robbie Williams. But they sound as good as before!

Picture of you* - Boyzone

The fact that i'm back in Malaysia marks the end of 2 of my photo-blogs.

The first is Cool-Pix in Colchester, featuring pics taken in Colchester and its surrounding area while i was there. The second is Loitering in London, featuring pics taken in London.

I've finally posted up all the pics that i want to on these two blogs. Check them out - there are a lot!!! Here's a collage of some of the pics posted - to whet yr appetites! :-)

The blogs will remain there for anyone to view - its just that there'll be no new pics posted... unless i return to Colchester or London!

The closing of something always marks the opening of another. Yes, i've started a new photo-blog entitled Snapshots from Subang. The title may be a lil misleading as it does not contain pics taken in Subang only.

Enjoy.

*One of their rare songs which is not a remake(!). Featured on the movie, Bean.

Angel standing by* - Jewel

Angels do walk among us. They are dressed in green – and sometimes white (at least the ones I’ve seen recently). They respond swiftly each time they are summoned by the depressing of a red button. And in a place where sadness lingers and hope seems to be missing, they are there to lift up the spirits of the weary, the sick, the worried.

I’m referring to the nurses at the Sunway Medical Centre – and I’m sure it’s the same all over the world.

After spending so much time in the hospital over the last weekend, I saw for meself these angels in action. To me, the 2 most depressing places one can go to are the Courts and the hospitals. Trust me – take time and go and sit in the corridors of the Courts or a hospital and you’ll feel the weight of gloom pressing down on you.

Yet, nothing seems to be able to get these angels down. They have an abundance amount of patience, they are full of energy and they are always so cheerful. They dun seem to ever complain, they appear to be full of joy, and they go round joking with the patients and with each other. On top of all that, they dun seem to expect much in return.

It is amazing when you think of the kind of things they have to do, the lack of gratitude shown to them by patients who have no energy to even give a smile of appreciation, the pathetic salary they get at the end of the month – and having to spend a large portion of their time with sick and/or dying people, worried and agitated relatives, demanding situations.

In the gloom of the dark hospital corridors and treatment rooms, it is simply priceless to hear their cheery voices, see their sweet smiles, feel their caring touch.

I know – for I’ve seen it wif me own eyes.

To all the nurses out there, you are my new heroes!

*A lullaby-like guitar-vocal song from her brilliant debut album, Pieces of You.

Unwell* - Matchbox 20

The last time i posted under this song was in May 2006. You can read about it here.

That was the first time since being in Cochester that i fell sick. Subsequent to that, i fell sick again in France, in October. So when i was away from home for almost 14 months, i only fell sick twice.

I've been back for 2 weeks only and i'm oredi sick!

I've been telling ppl of the healthy lifestyle i had over there. I guess this proves me point.

*sigh*

Oh well... being sick always reminds me to be thankful of the times when i'm not - and how i usually take good health for granted. Cheers, Lord!

*One of me al time fav songs from one of me all time fav groups. They're jus brilliant!

Gold* - Spandau Ballet

Golden brown, to be precise. I finally got me hair coloured. It's sumthing that i had always wanted to do but never did since it was a vain waste of money.

But i thot i deseved this chance since i only spent 6 pounds on haircuts for 2006 (only once in Sept!). And it only costs me less than 6 pounds!!!! I went to this salon which catered mainly to "aunties" - middle aged women. It's the place where me mom goes to.

So there i was, sitting on the old sofa, reading the December 1999 FHM magazine, eavesdropping on the conversations carried out by all the middle-aged women around me!!!! Some must have thought i'm just waiting for me mom to finish her haircut - until they saw me seating meself on a chair to get a haircut!

The outcome? Well, for the price i paid (RM35 - less than 5 quid), i'm quite pleased with it. I got it streaked - and now i have a 3-toned hair!!!! The natural black, the golden brown streaks and the whites at the front! LOL! Hey, i had to pay extra to hide the whites!

Here - judge for yrself:-

Before

After

p/s - i have in fact dyed me hair twice in me lifetime before this. The first was black-blue which only made me hair looked really black. The second time was some dark red which was only visible if you looked hard enuf under the sunlight!!!!

p/p/s - i wanted reddish brown but thought i'd better stick to some conventional brown first.

*One of their international hit songs which was featured in their chart topping album, True.

Think of me* - Sarah Brightman

Check-list:-

1. No one is at home;

2. Music on full-blast;

3. Floor cushions piled onto the sofa;

4. Water and mop ready

And there i went - me first mopping session for 2007!

Beads of sweat form on me forehead while i swayed along to the loud music as the floor is wiped intensely - and i slowly realised that a huge smile had formed on me face as me thoughts fly back to those summer days when we used to mop the floors together.

I miss those days... I wonder if you think of me when you mop the floor?

Oh, and mopping the floor at home now seems so easy - i guess it makes sense since the cafe area is so much more larger! :-)

*Song taken from the musical, The Phantom of the Opera, the best musical i ever watched - altho my fav is still Sunset Boulevard.

Holiday* - Madonna

Some people had a free all-expense paid holiday! How nice!!!

Guess who paid for the holiday? Why you, me and every law-abiding -tax-paying citizen of this country!!!!

The Star reports it in an innocuous sounding article entitled "Eric Chia's trial to resume on Monday". Many would not know and/or remember what the case is all about - for the trial had been postponed for almost 2 years!

So what happenned? Basically, our top lawyers for the government decided that they had to travel to Hong Kong to record evidence from key witnesses for their case against Eric Chia. One wonders what they were doing there as they fouled-up big time - the Sessions Court ruled that ALL the evidence collected and recorded could not be admitted in the trial!!!!! Yesterday, 5 judges of the highest court in the land affirmed the Sessions Court's decision.

Maybe it's because of all the flak that the prosecution have been receiving in the past weeks but i'm surprised at how some of the local papers seem almost afraid to criticise the prosecution team lead by none other than the Attorney general himself.

They deserve such criticism - if you are interested, kindly refer to my old post here where i blogged about it in 2005 and listed out how the prosecution team messed up - mistakes that i would expect a junior lawyer not to make.

So the outcome? 2 years of judicial time wasted, a free vacation in Hong Kong and now, some are saying that without the evidence, the prosecution faces an uphill task to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

I hope that for their own sake, the lawyers in the AG's chambers better buck-up and ensure that prosecutions are conducted competently - because with all the bad press they are receiving lately, the public's confidence in them is slowly being erroded.

*The song that is considered as Madonna's first true hit and one of her signature songs.

Innocence maintained* - Jewel

Andrew throws out a Draw 4, Wild Card and announces that he has only one card left by saying "Uno!".

"Oh no!", i feign disappointment. "Sure lose oredi!". I drew the 4 cards and after some deep thought, Andrew decides that the next colour of play would be blue.

He then proceeds to draw one card cuz the card in his hand was not a blue card!!!!! It was green.

"Why did you say blue when you had a green card??? You could have won!", i asked.

He gave me a shy smile and said "But i want to play some more!"

And that explains why my Uno games wif me nephew takes forever to end. Now here's a fine example of someone engaging in a game purely for the joy of playing and not for winning.

Unfortunately, that is not how the world views it these days. Winning is not everything - it is the only thing!!!! Who cares how the victory is achieved as long as one wins.

I wonder how long would it be before the world forces me pure nephew into conformity to its standards. But until then, we will enjoy our marathon-never-ending games! :-)

We’ve made houses for hatred
It’s time we make a place where
People’s souls may be seen and made safe
Be careful with each other these fragile flames
Innocence can’t be lost - it just needs to be maintained
Jewel Kilcher

*Song taken from me all time fav Jewel's album, Spirit.