BBC Sports 29.4.07
Leeds 1-1 Ipswich
Ipswich's late equaliser has virtually relegated Leeds, who trail Hull by three points and have a vastly inferior goal difference with one game to play.
It is still mathematically possible for Leeds to stay up, but they would need to win their last game by at least eight goals, and for Hull to lose. read on... but be warned it is sad
My comments
Hi World,
“The last Leeds fan in Singapore, I must be” Master Yoda would have said if he were me!
(Yoda is a member of the Jedi Council)
Anyway, if anyone were me ( or is it if anyone was I?), one would not have been a Leeds United fan!
Only a masochistic loser and supporter of lost causes and a sentimental fool would ever contemplate supporting any club as woeful as Leeds.
How on earth did I end up being a fan of the Whites ( whose strip incidentally is a copy of Real Madrid’s). I think Leeds even give Singapore’s MIW’s a bad name! How terrible is that?
Many moons and just as many hairs ago, in the 70’s, Leeds United was a great team under the inimitable Don Revie , and only a few years ago, I could have rattled off the names of the 70’s team.
I think that great team consisted of David Harvey, Norman Hunter, Johnny Giles, Eddie Gray ( and another Gray), Jackie Charlton, Allan Clarke,Billy Bremner. Fill in the blanks for me if you can, some other die-hards- who must be just as drunk and drowning in rivers of sorrow.
And to think that only a few seasons ago, David O’leary brought the young team consisting of Smith/Viduka/ Kewell/Woodgate/Robinson/Kelly/Harte/Dacourt/Redebe/Bowyer et al all the way to the semi-finals of the European Champions’ League.
Now after selling off all that can be sold, and being relegated from the English Premier League into the second-tier Coca-Cola Championship League ( and who are they kidding? The Championship league is the Second Division and changing the name and euphemism is just trickery and self-delusionary), Leeds United will now be relegated into the third-tier First Division (the old Third Division)!
It is so shameful! So pathetic! When my friends talk about Man U or Chelsea or even Liverpool getting into or missing out on automatic Champion’s League place etc, in the back of my mind, I can only be green and absolutely filled with jealousy and pretending that that is so unimportant and inconsequential!
I, the born-loser, promise, from henceforth, that I will not surf the net on every single Saturday night (GMT) or Friday or Sunday or even weekdays to check the “live score” page of the BBC sports page for the minute-by-minute commentary of Leeds’ matches , nor check official and unofficial Leeds United websites about banal and boring news about who has been injured or is recovering from injury and which second-rate player Leeds has managed to loan from some EPL team.
Remember Rauol Bravo? who was bought ( or on loan) from Real Madrid and played worse than any S-League player but when he returned to the La Liga, suddenly found his playing form again?
Anyone got a Prozac? I want to down it with Vodka!
Boo Hoo Hoo
Dr.Huang Shoou Chyuan
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Alan Johnston: BBC Journalist
Text: Family's letter to Alan Johnston
As part of an international day of action appealing for the release of BBC journalist Alan Johnston, his father, Graham, read out an open letter to the journalist from his family.
"Hello old son,
I don't know if you will see this but I just felt that I wanted you to know how distressed and sorry we all are that you were taken.
You had warned us frequently that the chances were always there that you would be kidnapped and we were prepared in a way for this to happen. Nevertheless when it came, it was still a considerable shock.
Now, you have not to worry about us. Your mum and Trini and I are hanging in there and trying to keep a stiff upper lip. The support we have had from your friends and colleagues at home and abroad has been phenomenal, especially the BBC who have cosseted us and to whom our profuse thanks go for keeping us abreast of the situation.
There are so many people worldwide all hoping and praying for your release, not least of which I'm sure, are the vast majority of the Palestinian population, many of whom have told us they are ashamed that you were kidnapped. We know how much you enjoyed your work there.
Your fellow local journalists are doing a magnificent job holding demonstrations calling for your early release. There is so much sympathy for your plight around the globe and we are overwhelmed at such support, all of which helps to buoy us up during the past seemingly interminable four weeks.
I would like to say something to those who are holding you. You have family. Please think about what this is doing to my family
I would like to say something to those who are holding you. You have family. Please think about what this is doing to my family, including in particular the distress and deep concern Alan's mother and sister have had to endure for all these long weeks. As I have said before please let my son go now, today.
Alan, all our heartfelt warmest fondest love is sent to you from all your family and in the fervent hope that you will be released unharmed. Chin up my son, Trini, Raymond, Alastair and as always your ever-loving mum and dad."
Other activities in support of Alan Johnston:
Demonstrations for BBC's Johnston
A rally for kidnapped BBC reporter Alan Johnston has been held by the National Union of Journalists in London.
The union demanded that more resources are devoted to secure the release of Mr Johnston, 44, who was abducted by gunmen more than six weeks ago.
Earlier, a rally was held by journalists at the main crossing point between Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Members of the Foreign Press Association in Israel gathered on both sides of the Erez checkpoint.
The London vigil, backed by the International Federation of Journalists, was held outside the Palestinian General Delegation office.
NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear said: "We will not cease until Alan is free to rejoin his friends and family and resume his life as an internationally respected BBC journalist." read on...
My comments:
Hi Friends,
I am deeply touched by Graham Johnston’s letter.
It reminds me that at the end of the day, what is most important to all of us is family and true friends.
I could not help being impressed by how much Johnston’s employer, BBC, is moving heaven and earth to try to get Alan home. I am sure they have already tried the soft approach and when that failed, they are now rallying public opinion to exert pressure on the kidnappers to get him freed.
I remember some time back, one of SPH’s journalists also got into some trouble with a powerful Asian nation. My impression was and still is that SPH’s attempts to secure his release dwarfs considerably compared to BBC’s efforts.
This unfortunate journalist is still incarcerated and languishes in jail having been convicted as a “spy” and news about him has all but disappeared from the radar screen.
I sincerely hope that both of these journalists get back home to their loved ones soon.
If so, I am sure that Johnston will be the most loyal BBC employee ever but I am less certain of Mr. Ching Cheong’s feelings towards his employer ( or is it ex-employer).
Alan Johnston and Ching Cheong, God Bless and See you soon!
Dr. Huang Shoou Chyuan
As part of an international day of action appealing for the release of BBC journalist Alan Johnston, his father, Graham, read out an open letter to the journalist from his family.
"Hello old son,
I don't know if you will see this but I just felt that I wanted you to know how distressed and sorry we all are that you were taken.
You had warned us frequently that the chances were always there that you would be kidnapped and we were prepared in a way for this to happen. Nevertheless when it came, it was still a considerable shock.
Now, you have not to worry about us. Your mum and Trini and I are hanging in there and trying to keep a stiff upper lip. The support we have had from your friends and colleagues at home and abroad has been phenomenal, especially the BBC who have cosseted us and to whom our profuse thanks go for keeping us abreast of the situation.
There are so many people worldwide all hoping and praying for your release, not least of which I'm sure, are the vast majority of the Palestinian population, many of whom have told us they are ashamed that you were kidnapped. We know how much you enjoyed your work there.
Your fellow local journalists are doing a magnificent job holding demonstrations calling for your early release. There is so much sympathy for your plight around the globe and we are overwhelmed at such support, all of which helps to buoy us up during the past seemingly interminable four weeks.
I would like to say something to those who are holding you. You have family. Please think about what this is doing to my family
I would like to say something to those who are holding you. You have family. Please think about what this is doing to my family, including in particular the distress and deep concern Alan's mother and sister have had to endure for all these long weeks. As I have said before please let my son go now, today.
Alan, all our heartfelt warmest fondest love is sent to you from all your family and in the fervent hope that you will be released unharmed. Chin up my son, Trini, Raymond, Alastair and as always your ever-loving mum and dad."
Other activities in support of Alan Johnston:
Demonstrations for BBC's Johnston
A rally for kidnapped BBC reporter Alan Johnston has been held by the National Union of Journalists in London.
The union demanded that more resources are devoted to secure the release of Mr Johnston, 44, who was abducted by gunmen more than six weeks ago.
Earlier, a rally was held by journalists at the main crossing point between Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Members of the Foreign Press Association in Israel gathered on both sides of the Erez checkpoint.
The London vigil, backed by the International Federation of Journalists, was held outside the Palestinian General Delegation office.
NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear said: "We will not cease until Alan is free to rejoin his friends and family and resume his life as an internationally respected BBC journalist." read on...
My comments:
Hi Friends,
I am deeply touched by Graham Johnston’s letter.
It reminds me that at the end of the day, what is most important to all of us is family and true friends.
I could not help being impressed by how much Johnston’s employer, BBC, is moving heaven and earth to try to get Alan home. I am sure they have already tried the soft approach and when that failed, they are now rallying public opinion to exert pressure on the kidnappers to get him freed.
I remember some time back, one of SPH’s journalists also got into some trouble with a powerful Asian nation. My impression was and still is that SPH’s attempts to secure his release dwarfs considerably compared to BBC’s efforts.
This unfortunate journalist is still incarcerated and languishes in jail having been convicted as a “spy” and news about him has all but disappeared from the radar screen.
I sincerely hope that both of these journalists get back home to their loved ones soon.
If so, I am sure that Johnston will be the most loyal BBC employee ever but I am less certain of Mr. Ching Cheong’s feelings towards his employer ( or is it ex-employer).
Alan Johnston and Ching Cheong, God Bless and See you soon!
Dr. Huang Shoou Chyuan
Monday, April 23, 2007
A Danish reply
www.mrbiao.com says: Today, I received an interesting comment from a reader all the way from Denmark. Here is his well-researched and insightful response, reproduced in full.
"I read with interest Mentor Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s remark in Singapore’s Parliament that Denmark, Finland and Switzerland can afford mediocrity in the remuneration of their ministers.
I shall restrict my observations to Denmark and Finland.
These 2 Nordic countries reward their leaders, in both the private and public sectors, somewhat less handsomely than Singapore. Despite this, I would suggest that both countries’ governments are by no means mediocre, and neither have they evinced any indication of being able to afford it.
Finland has managed to weather the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 90s, a market for 20% of its exports, in no small part due to its successful transformation from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy. Its leading multinational, Nokia, is the market leader in the mobile telecommunications industry, with a global market share of 36% in the manufacture of mobile phones (Q42006) and revenues of €41.121 billion (2006). While most of the credit for this success story can be attributed to the Finnish private sector, Finland’s government had a significant role to play in creating the optimal framework for the flourishing of the technology sector. From the mid 1960s onwards, there were special efforts to expand higher education, with a law on higher education passed in 1966, the result being that Finns are some of the most well-educated people in the world.
The Finnish government was also instrumental in pushing for the promotion of GSM as the European mobile telephony standard, based on the Nordic countries’ experience of NMT, an earlier, pan-Nordic standard. The early adoption of GSM in Finland provided the platform for Nokia’s global breakthrough. Decades before the global liberalization of telecommunications markets in the 1990s, Finland’s telecoms market had already been liberalized, and thus had possibly the world’s most competitive market for telecom operators and equipment makers. Credit for this is in no small part due to the role of the Finnish government. Finland devotes a higher percentage of its GNP to research and development than most countries, and the role of the government has been critical, especially in the early 90s, where public-funded research increased despite recession.
In the case of Denmark, the government made the decision in the 1970s to intensify research into renewable energy. Important research was carried out at Risoe, the government research centre, into wind energy. It took political courage to subsidize feeder tariffs for wind turbine-produced electricity. That decision has paid off handsomely. Today, Danish-based companies have a global market share of ca. 50% in the manufacture of wind turbines, an industry with global annual growth rates of 30%, and estimated revenues of €10 billion (2006, est.). Indeed Denmark’s Vestas has recently set up engineering and research facilities in Singapore.
In more general terms, I would submit that both countries’ systems and governments are not mediocre, and are like Singapore’s, acutely aware of not being able to afford it. Rather than Europe being there to catch Finland and Denmark should they falter, both countries have been net contributors to the European Union budget since their accession. Mediocrity is not a hallmark of either society either. In the last 30 years, both countries, despite their small populations, have produced individuals who have won Olympic gold medals, Oscars and Nobel Prizes. They have produced New Economy pioneers, for example Finland’s Linus Torvalds, the creater of Linux (an open-source operating system and competitor to Microsoft’s Windows) and Denmark’s Janus Friis, co-founder of Skype (a peer-to-peer telephony application).
In conclusion, both countries’ positions as globally competitive economies and high-achieving societies have been attained against the backdrop of low corruption levels, and high levels of trust between citizens and government, and seemingly despite high taxes and comprehensive welfare states. This has not required stratospheric levels of remuneration of government leaders and officials.
Mr. Gregory GlenHolstebro, Denmark"
My comments:
I realize that there is often a need to remind ourselves how much we have achieved in a short time span and that things could have been worse. (On the other hand, it could also have been better).
Praises are usually accorded by others and if offered we should accept them with grace and humility.
What I tell my children to always avoid is self-praise. What is worse than self-praise is the elevation of self by denigrating and belittling others. Even worse ( lagi worse ) than this is the mocking and ridiculing others on less than “fair” basis ( there are other words that come to mind but since I do not have lawyers on retainer contract I better avoid them) in order to put one self on a pedestal. (Talking about Singapore)
Mr. Glen gives us a different perspective from those we read and hear day in and out and in and out and…
My next phone will be a Nokia and I will eat Danish pastry tomorrow. Very nice.
Cheers
Dr.Huang Shoou Chyuan
PS: I forgot to get mr.biao's permission.
mr.biao.com, can I use your letter for my post?
"I read with interest Mentor Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s remark in Singapore’s Parliament that Denmark, Finland and Switzerland can afford mediocrity in the remuneration of their ministers.
I shall restrict my observations to Denmark and Finland.
These 2 Nordic countries reward their leaders, in both the private and public sectors, somewhat less handsomely than Singapore. Despite this, I would suggest that both countries’ governments are by no means mediocre, and neither have they evinced any indication of being able to afford it.
Finland has managed to weather the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 90s, a market for 20% of its exports, in no small part due to its successful transformation from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy. Its leading multinational, Nokia, is the market leader in the mobile telecommunications industry, with a global market share of 36% in the manufacture of mobile phones (Q42006) and revenues of €41.121 billion (2006). While most of the credit for this success story can be attributed to the Finnish private sector, Finland’s government had a significant role to play in creating the optimal framework for the flourishing of the technology sector. From the mid 1960s onwards, there were special efforts to expand higher education, with a law on higher education passed in 1966, the result being that Finns are some of the most well-educated people in the world.
The Finnish government was also instrumental in pushing for the promotion of GSM as the European mobile telephony standard, based on the Nordic countries’ experience of NMT, an earlier, pan-Nordic standard. The early adoption of GSM in Finland provided the platform for Nokia’s global breakthrough. Decades before the global liberalization of telecommunications markets in the 1990s, Finland’s telecoms market had already been liberalized, and thus had possibly the world’s most competitive market for telecom operators and equipment makers. Credit for this is in no small part due to the role of the Finnish government. Finland devotes a higher percentage of its GNP to research and development than most countries, and the role of the government has been critical, especially in the early 90s, where public-funded research increased despite recession.
In the case of Denmark, the government made the decision in the 1970s to intensify research into renewable energy. Important research was carried out at Risoe, the government research centre, into wind energy. It took political courage to subsidize feeder tariffs for wind turbine-produced electricity. That decision has paid off handsomely. Today, Danish-based companies have a global market share of ca. 50% in the manufacture of wind turbines, an industry with global annual growth rates of 30%, and estimated revenues of €10 billion (2006, est.). Indeed Denmark’s Vestas has recently set up engineering and research facilities in Singapore.
In more general terms, I would submit that both countries’ systems and governments are not mediocre, and are like Singapore’s, acutely aware of not being able to afford it. Rather than Europe being there to catch Finland and Denmark should they falter, both countries have been net contributors to the European Union budget since their accession. Mediocrity is not a hallmark of either society either. In the last 30 years, both countries, despite their small populations, have produced individuals who have won Olympic gold medals, Oscars and Nobel Prizes. They have produced New Economy pioneers, for example Finland’s Linus Torvalds, the creater of Linux (an open-source operating system and competitor to Microsoft’s Windows) and Denmark’s Janus Friis, co-founder of Skype (a peer-to-peer telephony application).
In conclusion, both countries’ positions as globally competitive economies and high-achieving societies have been attained against the backdrop of low corruption levels, and high levels of trust between citizens and government, and seemingly despite high taxes and comprehensive welfare states. This has not required stratospheric levels of remuneration of government leaders and officials.
Mr. Gregory GlenHolstebro, Denmark"
My comments:
I realize that there is often a need to remind ourselves how much we have achieved in a short time span and that things could have been worse. (On the other hand, it could also have been better).
Praises are usually accorded by others and if offered we should accept them with grace and humility.
What I tell my children to always avoid is self-praise. What is worse than self-praise is the elevation of self by denigrating and belittling others. Even worse ( lagi worse ) than this is the mocking and ridiculing others on less than “fair” basis ( there are other words that come to mind but since I do not have lawyers on retainer contract I better avoid them) in order to put one self on a pedestal. (Talking about Singapore)
Mr. Glen gives us a different perspective from those we read and hear day in and out and in and out and…
My next phone will be a Nokia and I will eat Danish pastry tomorrow. Very nice.
Cheers
Dr.Huang Shoou Chyuan
PS: I forgot to get mr.biao's permission.
mr.biao.com, can I use your letter for my post?
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