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Monday, December 31, 2007

Welcome 2008!

We are just an hour away from the new year. Looking back at 07, all I can say about it, is that, what a fantastic year it was!!!I expected it to be excellent about this same time a year ago, but didnt expect it to be this superb. A promotion which was very long over due, taking charge of a planning group in a multinational high tech corp, completed the first delivery of the project which I started exactly a year ago, what else can I ask for. I always believe that every time you have to go through trials & tribulations, there is a reward waiting for you up there. The harder the trial is, the greater the reward will be. And it never fails me. Because in the Quran it said, Allah tries you with the burden that you can take, never will he burden you with something that you cant.
For 2008, I have a lot of role to play, targets to achieve, need to keep myself solemn as the pressure is getting higher. Target no.1 go back to 70kg at the end of the year.Realign that spare tyres!Healthier life with more excercises, need to recover this cervical spondilosys.
Spiritually, need to control the pressure as work load is increasing these days. Hope Ustaz Ahmad Mustafa can do some help.Need to strengthen the spiritual aspect of me.
No.3, now the mental aspect. Need to read more, this time I will buy the book about planning which I saw at Narita Airport last June, just buy it this time.Like the book said, you have to work like 60 men!Dont ask me why 60, I havent finish reading it.I am thinking of doing an MBA, but time is just not on my side, may be a book on Corporate Finance can help.

Finally, praise Allah, The God of the whole existance for all his blessings to me and my family, amin!

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Another Bhutto is gone...

People riot in the street to this tragic news. I still wonder why people support her with their lives. Seing our Malaysian leader developing this beautiful country, I dont see the value of her struggle, beside being the puppet for America.
For the people of Pakistan, perhaps they love her for the idealism of democracy that she is fighting for. But emotion aside, democracy is not the ultimate goal, it is just a tool to achieve a greater goal.More than democracy, they need development.
People might say that without democracy you cant develop. Lets take Singapore for an example.They dont practice democracy, but they can develop the country.Education is more important than democracy. Cut the riot and you can put education into action.
And people will grow from there on...

Happy New Year!

Friday, December 21, 2007

Capello to the helm!

Either he is a German or an Italian, only be he the manager to her majesty's soccer team. What an excellent call. The coach who was fired after u-turning Real from the brink of catastrophe to winning the La Liga last season in just less than 4 months!
What the English need is "passion". This is the ingredient that they dont have. A German coach, Hitzfelt or Otto, will be to stiff for the tea lover. Voeller or Klinsman will be lack of the tradition that they require. A Dutch will be to technical, which they are not so in need.
An Italian is a perfect choice, because they can win the world cup just with passion. Imagine a team that won the world cup, 6 matches, with 10 players scoring goals. Canavaro, Materazi, Zambrotta & Grosso, all 4 defenders scored during the final stage, needless to say about their strikers.Only their goal keeper didnt score, but only let in 2 goals. Still remember how much I hate Rossi for scoring 2 goals for Italy to beat Mighty Brazil, in the last 8 of WC 1982. 2 "curi ayam" goals that wasted the talent of players like Zico, Socrates, Eder, Falcao and gang. But that's the quality of a world champion, you dont need skill, style, whatever! All you need is only the passion to win!

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Injury time...

I just got back from a dinner with the state government, where I witnessed a lot of "cultural show". First, we culturally dont respect time! Culturally refers to a rampant practice of disrespect of time. The guest of honor was late by 15 minutes and dare to make the " time is money" statement in his speech.
I told my Japanese friends that if politicians got hold to the mic, till lightning strike do they part. I told him, the shortest politician speech will take 30 minutes and bingo, the CM speech took exactly 30 minutes. My friend must have thought that I am some sort of a clairvoyance?!
The first 10 min, everything was according to the Shakespearly written text, and the next 20 was turbulence melodramatic grandmother story. No direction, he just didnt want to stop!
From where I came from, they can have a convocation for a university faculty with 6 departments consists of more than 600 students in 30 minutes! And that was Japan. They built their civilization just with that one resource, time! Time to think, action, analyze and improve. They dont have gold to mine, tin, silver, needless to think of oil. They have got nothing. The soil is not fertile enough for commercial plants except for rice or corn. They have literally nothing! But they have time, that's why they treasure it so much. Their trains timetable book is as thick as your pocket size dictionary and you wont find any single late train anywhere, any time!
Once a support Japanese member from our sister factory was already turning red, because after 5 minutes late, there was still no sign of anybody coming? He was almost screaming. Perhaps because we have all other resources that have made us ignoring this unrecreatable resource.
When I was on my first trip to Japan, a Malaysian told me that he perceived Japanese as an economic animal, as they work very hard for this worldly satisfaction. I tend to think the same way when I was a student. But after years of working in Japanese company, that perspective has changed. How do you feel owning or driving a Japanese car, electrical goods etc? I can say they are reliable. Would you change them for any other origin? For me, a definite no!Thats is the price we have to pay for a satisfied customer. It takes a lot of work to make customers happy with your products. They are not economic animal, they work hard for their sense of resposibility to their customers and their company. We are the so called religious, but are we responsible enough with our products/services?
Some might say, if you work smart, perhaps you could solve it in a shorter time. But to them, if you can solve it in a shorter time, then you should be able to find some other things to solve with your spare time. Time is precious!

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Liverpool vs MU

Back to soccer again. I think I like very much about Liverpool, is that they can always come back from the edge for a dramatic win, just like what they did in Turkey 2 years ago, they are coming back strongly into European Club Championship.
Since Benitez has voiced his confident of challenging Arsenal for the League title, and they have shown that they can defend well this season, my confident level of Liverpool taking the League title also increase to somewhere around 70%. To go beyond that, they have to convince me by beating MU this month. With Torres and Crouch exploding, and the defence showing no sign of clumsiness, beating MU will be the clearest sign of them winning the league title this season.

What say you? Poll corner on your left hand side.


There's another cruncher on the 16th. Dec, later game of the day, Arsenal vs Chelsea!!!