ABOUT MYBLOG

Welcome to MyBlog - A blog designed to be informative and hopefully interesting as well, with no specific topic or concept. Hopefully, my interests and thoughts will captivate the interests of all the visitors here. Oh..darn it...Did anyone even read this? Enjoy it, nevertheless.....

ABOUT ME

I'm just a 30+ U.S. graduate ordinary Malaysian guy who loves reading, living, watching Sports (especially football & American sports...and a no. 1 Arsenal fan) & sharing interesting news, opinions & info, I found on cyberspace, here on my portal.

Official: Gunners Sign Bischoff

Werder Bremen’s Amaury Bischoff has become the latest youngster to join Arsene Wenger's troops at Arsenal. The Portuguese Under-21 international will wear the number 28 shirt at the Emirates as he prepares to begin summer training...

Wenger will hope that they have struck gold with the 21-year-old, who has yet to play a top-flight game of football in his career.

The France-born Portuguese U-21 international has taken part in the UEFA Cup, though, and has also represented Werder Bremen's U-23 outfit on several occasions.

A diminutive midfielder, Bischoff has been linked with an Arsenal move since the beginning of the month after he elected to leave Werder without signing a new contract.

It is thought that Bischoff will begin his Gunners career in the reserves, although he will be hopeful of making the step up to the first team sooner rather than later.

Steve Michaels, Goal.com

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Liverpool Finally Agree Fee For Barry - Report

The latest reports form England suggest that Liverpool and Aston Villa have finally managed to reach a deal over England International Gareth Barry.

According to a Daily Mail 'Insider Exclusive', the Villans have accepted a £19million offer from Liverpool for their captain, which also includes them receiving the services of Steve Finnan. Martin O'Neill's side will receive £17.5million in cash and a further £1.5million in the form of the Republic of Ireland full-back, therefore.

Barry has been at the heart of a bitter struggle between Aston Villa and Liverpool since the very beginning of the summer, which now appears to have reached the conclusion which seemed almost inevitible since the start of the saga.

Liverpool clearly mean business in their bid to finally get their hands back on the English title, as the deal, should it be confirmed, follows right on the heels of the successful acquisition of Robbie Keane from Tottenham Hotspur.

This is in addition to the already confirmed arrivals of Andrea Dossena (Udinese), Philipp Deggen (Borussia Dortmund), David Ngog (Paris St Germain), Emmanuel Mendy (Murcia Deportivo), Diego Cavalieri (Palmeiras) and Vincent Lucas Weijl (AZ Alkmaar).

Derek Wanner, Goal.com

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Matthew McConaughey & Camila Alves Introduce Levi!


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Rebecca Romijn-O’Connell & Jerry O’Connell Expecting Twins!

Rebecca Romijn and her husband, Jerry O'Connell, are expecting twins, their rep confirms to PEOPLE.

The babies are due this winter. A source tells PEOPLE that both babies will be girls. The twins were conceived without the help of in vitro fertilization or the fertility drug Clomid, a source close to the couple also says.

The parents-to-be were married July 15, 2007, in an intimate ceremony in Los Angeles. He had proposed to her during a September 2005 trip to New York, a full year after they were first spotted together in L.A., taking in an Al Green concert and checking out a local deli.

Ugly Betty's Romijn, 35, recently told Self magazine she hoped to be "lucky enough" to have kids.

And just a little more than a week ago, O'Connell, 34, told PEOPLE, "We're trying to get pregnant."

"It would be amazing if it happened," he said, adding that practicing has been "a lot of fun."

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Madrid To Sign Van Der Vaart Next Week

Real Madrid will complete the signing of Rafael Van der Vaart next week after negotiations are concluded following their game with Hamburg in London, according to Marca.

The Spanish giants have lodged a new bid of €10m and expect that to be accepted alowing talks to begin between the clubs and the player's representative.

With Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival now more and more unlikely, Madrid have turned their attentions to other players after Bernd Schuster pleaded with the club's hierarchy to add to his squad.

Van der Vaart has been on the club's list for months, but with all the focus placed on signing just one player Los Merengues are now having to push on with Plan B.

Hamburg meet Real Madrid in the Emirates Cup at Arsenal's stadium on Saturday and then play Juventus on Sunday, giving Van der Vaart two chances to showcase his talent to Schuster.

Ramón Calderón has backed down over his plans not to sign anyone should Ronaldo not be available and relented for the sake of the coached who asked for some new faces to freshen things up.

According to Marca, Hamburg have decided to sell and use the money to find a replacement and after turning down just €6m last week, will say yes to the €10m now on the table.

Schuster is believed to have asked sporting director, Predrag Mijatovic, on July 10 to do a deal with Hamburg after initial contact was made and a deal looked set to be done then.

Van der Vaart's arrival could see two or three new players arrive at the Bernabéu which would certainly mean that any bid for Ronaldo had been postponed this year.

Lucas Brown, Goal.com

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Penang expresses 'regret' over Fed Govt move

GEORGE TOWN (The Star): The Penang State Assembly passed a motion expressing its regret over the Federal Government's decision to shelve a total of RM4.7bil worth of mega projects in the state.

The motion was supported by 29 Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen, and rejected by 11 Barisan Nasional assemblymen.

The Federal Government earlier declared that the four projects were being taken off the Ninth Malaysia Plan books: The RM1.5bil Penang Outer Ring Road (PORR), the RM2bil monorail, the RM1.1bil Mengkuang Dam expansion and RM40mil Penang Hill railway upgrade.

In an appeal letter he personally handed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi earlier this month, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng asked the Federal Government to reconsider the shelving of the four mega projects.

The monorail project should not be deferred because it was an important public transport system that would ease the burden of the rakyat following the hike in petrol prices and the restructuring of the oil and gas subsidies by the Government in June.

The PORR project would ease traffic congestion and indirectly spur economic activities in the state, while the expansion of Mengkuang Dam would ensure cleaner water for Penangites after 2010, Lim had written.

The Penang Hill railway system should also be given priority as it was a key tourism attraction for Penang.

Even the Opposition expressed concern, with the Batu Kawan Gerakan division passing a resolution at its annual general meeting also urging the Federal Government to reconsider its decision .

It said the issue could be used against the Federal Government in that it had failed in fulfilling its promises made to the people before the recent general election.

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Water from Different Sources


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Good Witty Snappy Comebacks

Snappy Answer #1
A stewardess was stationed at the departure gate to check tickets. As a man approached, she extended her hand for the ticket, and he opened his coat and flashed her. Without missing a beat she said, “Sir, I need to see your ticket, not your stub.”

Snappy Answer #2
A lady was picking through the frozen chickens at the supermarket, but couldn’t find one big enough for her family. She asked the shelf stacker, “Do these chickens get any bigger?” He replied, “No, they’re dead.”

Snappy Answer #3
The policeman got out of his car and the lad who was stopped for speeding rolled down his window. “I’ve been waiting for you all day,” the policeman said. The lad replied, “Yeah, well I got here as fast as I could.” When the policeman finally stopped laughing, he sent the lad on his way without a ticket.

Snappy Answer #4
A lorry driver was driving along. A sign comes up that reads “low bridge ahead.” Before he knows it the bridge is right ahead of him and he gets stuck under the bridge. Cars are backed up for miles. Finally, a police car comes up. The policeman gets out of his car and walks around to the lorry driver, puts his hands on his hips and says, “Got stuck?” The lorry driver says, “No mate, I was delivering this bridge and ran out of gas.”

and finally…


#5, THE TEACHER Snappy Answer OF THE YEAR.
A university lecturer reminds her students of tomorrow’s final exam. “Now, I won’t tolerate any excuses for you not being here tomorrow. I might consider a nuclear attack or a serious personal injury or illness, or a death in your immediate family but that’s it, no other excuses whatsoever!” A smart-@rse bloke in the back of the room raised his hand and asks, “What would you say if tomorrow I said I was suffering from complete and utter s3xual exhaustion?” The entire class does its best to stifle their laughter. When silence is restored, the lecturer smiles sympathetically at the student, shakes her head, and sweetly says, “Well, I suppose you’d have to write the exam with your other hand.”


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Hearing Problems

Morris, an 82 year-old man, went to the doctor to get a physical. A few days later the doctor saw Morris walking down the street with a gorgeous young woman on his arm.

A couple of days later the doctor spoke to Morris and said, "You're really doing great, aren't you?"

Morris replied, "Just doing what you said, Doc: 'Get a hot mamma and be cheerful.'"

The doctor said, "I didn't say that. I said, 'You've got a heart murmur. Be careful."

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Funny Warning Labels

Some actual label instructions on consumer goods.

On a Sears hairdryer:
“Do not use while sleeping.”
(Gee, but that’s the only time I have to work on my hair.)

On a bag of Fritos:
“You could be a winner! No purchase necessary. Details inside.
(The shoplifter special?)

On a bar of Dial soap:
“Directions: Use like regular soap.”
(And that would be how…?)

On some Swann frozen dinners:
“Serving suggestion: Defrost.”
(But it’s just a suggestion.)

On Tesco’s Tiramisu dessert (printed on bottom of box):
“Do not turn upside down.”
(A little late for that warning!)

On Marks & Spencer Bread Pudding:
“Product will be hot after heating.”
(I never would have guessed that one)

On packaging for a Rowenta iron:
“Do not iron clothes on body.”
(But wouldn’t this save everyone a little more time?)

On Boot’s Children’s Cough Medicine:
“Do not drive a car or operate machinery after taking this medication.”
(We could do a lot to reduce the rate of construction accidents if we could just get those 5-year-olds with head-colds off those forklifts.)

On Nytol Sleep Aid:
“Warning: May cause drowsiness.”
(And I was taking this because….)

On most brands of Christmas lights:
“For indoor or outdoor use only.”
(As opposed to what other uses?)

On a Japanese food processor:
“Not to be used for the other use.”
(I gotta admit, I’m curious - what other use???.)

On Sainsbury’s peanuts:
“Warning: contains nuts.”
(Talk about a news flash.)

On an American Airlines packet of nuts:
“Instructions: Open packet, eat nuts.”
(and let me guess….Fly Delta?)

On a child’s Superman costume:
“Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly.”
(I don’t blame the company. I blame parents for this one.)

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A Good Alternative to Mosquito Spray

From Funny & More


I was at a deck party awhile back, and the bugs were having a ball biting everyone. A man at the party sprayed the lawn and deck floor with Listerine, and the little demons disappeared. The next year I filled a 4-ounce spray bottle and used it around my seat whenever I saw mosquitoes. And voila! That worked as well. It worked at a picnic where we sprayed the area around the food table, the
children's swing area, and the standing water nearby. During the summer, I don't
leave home without it.....Pass it on.



I tried this on my deck and around all of my doors. It works - in fact, it killed them instantly. I bought my bottle from Target and it cost me $1.89. It really doesn't take much, and it is a big bottle, too; so it is not as expensive to use as the can of Bug-spray you buy that doesn't last 30 minutes. So, try this, please. It will last a couple of days. Don't spray directly on a wood door (like your front door), but spray around the frame. Spray around the window frames, and even inside the pet's house.


Now they are No More Mosquitos!!!

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Amaran PAS kepada DAP

ALOR STAR (Harian Metro): PAS hari ini memberi amaran kepada DAP untuk tidak mencampuri urusan parti itu sambil menegaskan bahawa ia berhak untuk berbincang dengan mana-mana pihak yang diingininya termasuk UMNO.

Pesuruhjaya PAS Kedah, Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak berkata PAS sama sekali tidak rela untuk mengikut telunjuk sesiapa dalam perjuangannya dan ekoran itu DAP yang menjadi sekutunya dalam Pakatan Rakyat tiada hak untuk menghalang atau menentukan tindak tanduk PAS.

“PAS, DAP dan Parti KeAdilan Rakyat (PKR) hanya bekerjasama sebagai satu Pakatan Rakyat untuk menghadapi BN (Barisan Nasional) dalam pilihan raya lalu, bukan gabungan macam BN,” katanya.

“Malaysia adalah negara bebas dan mengapa kita mesti mengikut telunjuk orang,” katanya ketika mengulas kenyataan Pengerusi kebangsaan DAP, Karpal Singh agar Pakatan Rakyat mengkaji semula keanggotaan PAS berikutan tindakannya mengadakan rundingan dengan UMNO demi perpaduan Melayu.

Semalam, Karpal menganggap tindakan PAS itu sebagai tidak ikhlas kerana ia mengundang keraguan tentang kredibiliti parti itu dalam Pakatan Rakyat dan oleh itu keanggotaan PAS perlu dikaji semula.

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Ezam sedia lawan Anwar di Parlimen Kulim Bandar Baharu

KUALA LUMPUR (Berita Harian): Bekas pemimpin kanan Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor hari ini sedia menjadi calon Barisan Nasional (BN) bertanding menentang Penasihat PKR, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim di Parlimen Kulim Bandar Baharu sekiranya kerusi itu dikosongkan.

Bercakap kepada pemberita di sini, Ezam yang kini menganggotai Umno, berkata beliau tidak gentar berdepan dengan Anwar sekiranya dipilih oleh pucuk pimpinan BN.

Selain kemungkinan Kulim Bandar Baharu, satu lagi kerusi Parlimen yang disebut-sebut akan dikosongkan PKR untuk Anwar bertanding ialah Parlimen Bandar Tun Razak yang disandang Menteri Besar Selangor, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

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Umno Perak sedia bergabung dengan Pas

IPOH (Harian Metro): Umno Perak hari ini menawarkan kerjasama dengan Pas untuk membentuk kerajaan negeri itu sebagai Menteri Besar sebagai langkah permulaan ke arah penyatuan kedua-dua parti berkenaan.

Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan Umno Perak Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali berkata tawaran itu adalah bagi menyahut saranan Mursyidul Am PAS Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat supaya Umno dan PAS dibubarkan dengan menubuhkan sebuah parti baru berlandaskan Islam bagi menyatukan orang Melayu dan sebagai tempat berlindung kepada semua pihak termasuk bukan Islam.

“Umno Perak mahu memulakannya dengan langkah pertama ke arah penggabungan. Ini langkah awal elak perpecahan Melayu dan bagi mewujudkan kestabilan politik serta sebuah kerajaan negeri Perak yang lebih kukuh,” katanya kepada pemberita di pejabat Umno Perak di sini.

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Twist in Sodomy Saga

PETALING JAYA (The Star): Police have slammed a news portal report, which claimed that a private hospital doctor who had examined Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan had been arrested.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said the articles were just another attempt by certain quarters to confuse the public over the on-going investigation into Mohd Saiful's police report alleging that he had been sodomised by PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The online articles posted a medical report which said there was “zero active bleeding”, “zero ulcer or pus” and “zero tear and scar” in Mohd Saiful’s anus.

The report from Pusrawi Hospital was signed by Dr Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid at 2.14pm on June 28.

Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin, who also carried the report on his website, said this proved that Mohd Saiful was not sodomised by Opposition de facto leader Anwar.

“The police also have a copy of this report that I have published, so they know what I know,” he wrote.

Raja Petra also alleged that Dr Mohamed Osman had gone into hiding because the police wanted him to change his medical report to implicate Anwar.

“There is no truth to these allegations," said the Deputy IGP.

"In fact we interviewed the aforementioned doctor in the early stages of our investigation following the report lodged by Saiful.

“Neither did we arrest the doctor or detain him for three days as alleged in the Malaysia Today article. We do not have any plans to do so either,” Ismail said, declining to comment further.

PKR secretary-general Salehuddin Hashim said there needed to be a complete public disclosure of the facts of the case.

“The medical report appears to confirm what we have always believed – that the allegations against Anwar are without merit and are politically motivated.”

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said: “This is a very disturbing turn of developments and will subject Malaysia to a new spate of international bashing unless the police can come forward to throw light on the first medical report and the whereabouts of Dr Mohamed Osman.”

How the medical report was leaked, which is a breach of patient confidentiality, is unknown, but Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said the Malaysian Medical Council must look into the case.

A top Health Ministry official said the leaked report was probably not a full report because it appeared to be documenting only the superficial.

A spokesperson from the hospital said a statement would be issued soon.

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Makan Tempe Boleh Mandul

Lelaki kena kurang diet bersoya: Kajian

BOSTON (Berita Harian): Lelaki mengamalkan diet sayur-sayuran berasaskan soya dinasihatkan mengurangkan pengambilan makanan itu apabila penyelidik mendapati ia berisiko menjejaskan kesuburan golongan itu dengan mengurangkan bilangan sperma.

Kajian mendedahkan, lelaki yang makan purata separuh makanan berasaskan soya menghasilkan bilangan sperma kurang berbanding mereka yang tidak memakannya. Di kalangan lelaki yang memiliki berat badan berlebihan atau obes, kesannya lebih nyata.

Kurang bilangan sperma diketahui menyukarkan lelaki menghamilkan isteri atau pasangannya.

Menurut penyelidik, bahan digelar isoflavones dalam soya yang menyerupai hormon seks wanita, oestrogen, dipercayai menjadi punca. Kajian ke atas haiwan mengaitkan pengambilan tinggi isoflavones dengan masalah ketidaksuburan.

Dalam kajian terbaru, penyelidik Amerika Syarikat mendapati lelaki yang mengamalkan pengambilan tinggi makanan berasaskan soya memiliki bilangan sperma jauh lebih sedikit berbanding lelaki yang tidak memakannya langsung.

Diketuai Dr Jorge Chavarro dari Jabatan Kesihatan Awam Harvard di Boston, mereka menyoal lelaki mengenai pengambilan 15 jenis makanan berasaskan soya. Ia termasuk tofu, tempe, sosej soya, burger, susu soya, keju, dadih dan ais krim, hasil soya seperti kacang panggang dan minuman.

Lelaki dalam kumpulan mengamalkan pengambilan paling tinggi diberi makanan berasaskan soya secara purata setengah hidangan sehari.

Kaitan antara pengambilan soya dan bilangan sperma lebih kuat di kalangan lelaki obes atau memiliki berat badan berlebihan, kerana tubuh mereka mengeluarkan lebih banyak oestrogen berbanding lelaki kurus, kata penyelidik.

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Short Marriage Jokes

You have two choices in life:
You can stay single and be miserable,
or get married and wish you were dead.

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At a cocktail party, one woman said to another,
‘Aren’t you wearing your wedding ring on the wrong finger?’
‘Yes, I am. I married the wrong man.’

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A lady inserted an ad in the classifieds:
‘Husband Wanted’.
Next day she received a hundred letters.
They all said the same thing:
‘You can have mine.’

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When a woman steals your husband,
there is no better revenge than to let her keep him.

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A woman is incomplete until she is married. Then she is finished

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A little boy asked his father,
‘Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?’
Father replied, ‘I don’t know son, I’m still paying.’

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A young son asked,
‘Is it true Dad, that in some parts of Africa a man doesn’t know his wife until he marries her?’
Dad replied, ‘That happens in every country, son.’

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Then there was a woman who said, ‘I never knew what real happiness was until I got married,
and by then, it was too late.

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Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence.

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If you want your spouse to listen and pay strict attention to every word you say—talk in your sleep.

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Just think, if it weren’t for marriage, men would go through life thinking they had no faults at all.

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First guy says, ‘My wife’s an angel!’
Second guy remarks, ‘You’re lucky, mine’s still alive.’

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What Bad Font Can Do To Your Business?


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Hide and Seek



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Judge Orders Girl Named ‘Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii’ Renamed

A family court judge in New Zealand has had enough with parents giving their children bizarre names, and did something about it. He ordered a girl named Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii to be renamed.

Judge Rob Murfitt made the 9-year-old girl a ward of the court so that her name could be changed, he said in a ruling made public Thursday. The girl was involved in a custody battle, he said.

The new name was not made public to protect the girl’s privacy.

“The court is profoundly concerned about the very poor judgment which this child’s parents have shown in choosing this name,” he wrote. “It makes a fool of the child and sets her up with a social disability and handicap, unnecessarily.”

The girl had been so embarrassed at the name that she had never told her closest friends what it was. She told people to call her “K” instead, the girl’s lawyer, Colleen MacLeod, told the court.

In his ruling, Judge Murfitt cited a list of the unfortunate names.

Registration officials blocked some names, including Fish and Chips, Yeah Detroit, Keenan Got Lucy and Sex Fruit, he said. But others were allowed, including Number 16 Bus Shelter “and tragically, Violence,” he said.

New Zealand law does not allow names that would cause offense to a reasonable person, among other conditions, said Brian Clarke, the registrar general of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Brian Clarke said officials usually talked to parents who proposed unusual names to convince them about the potential for embarrassment.


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Stupid

A guy comes home from work, walks into his bedroom, and finds a stranger on top of his wife.

He says, “What the hell are you two doing?”

His wife turns to the stranger and says, “I told you he was stupid.”

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Bush and Osama

After numerous rounds of “We don’t even know if Osama is still alive,” Osama himself decided to send George Bush a letter in his own handwriting to let him know he was still in the game.

Bush opened the letter and it contained a single line of Coded message:


370H-SSV-0773H


Bush was baffled, so he e-mailed it to Condoleezza Rice .

Condi and her aides had not a clue either, so they sent it to the FBI.

No one could solve it at the FBI so it went to the CIA, then to MI6 and Mossad.

Eventually they asked Australian Intelligence (ASIO) for help.

Within a minute, ASIO emailed the White House with this reply:

“Tell the President he’s holding the message upside down.”

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Prehistoric Explosions Wiped Out Ocean Life-- And Created Petroleum




















Much of Earth's oil reserves can be traced to a single volcanic eruption, scientists say.

A new study by the University of Alberta suggests that a massive undersea volcano eruption 93 million years ago was the source of much of the world’s oil.

Researchers Steven Turgeon and Robert Creaser were alerted to the prehistoric blast when they found specific levels of osmium isotopes (indicators of volcanic activity in sea water) in black shale rocks off the coast of South America and in the mountains of central Italy.

According to Turgeon and Creaser, lava fountains from the ancient eruption changed oceanic chemistry, triggering widespread extinction of marine life. This happened in a two-step process: First, as the volcano erupted, nutrients were released into the ocean, encouraging the growth of vegetation and the feeding and reproduction of marine organisms. As this overgrowth of new plant and animal populations died off, the decomposing organic matter released clouds of carbon dioxide into the ocean and atmosphere, leading to an anoxic, or oxygen-depleted, environment.

Normally, decaying materials are completely broken down in the ocean, but due to the lack of oxygen, the prehistoric organic matter settled at the bottom of the sea bed and became trapped there, forming the petroleum-rich shale deposits which are important sources of oil today.

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Hard-working 'Couple' Revealed as Four Twins






















A married couple who astonished diners at their restaurant by appearing to work 21-hour days have revealed the secret of their labors. Customers dubbed the pair the "robot couple" because of their marathon hours, which involved opening the restaurant at 6am and apparently still being there to close it up at 3am. But it has now emerged that the restaurant in the city of Yiwu in eastern China is actually run by two couples – and both the men and the women are identical twins.

The twin brothers married the twin sisters three years ago, and the four of them decided to go into business together. Both couples now have young sons, who are also almost identical. "Many diners thought we worked too hard and are like robots, but they don’t know that we are actually four people," said Mao Zhanghua, 32, one of the brothers

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Matthew McConaughey’s Son Is A Joyful Little Munchkin!


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Raline Bekas Kekasih Tengku Ismail Lebih Cantik Dari Fasha Sandha?




Khabarnya, si Raline ni kacukan Indonesia-Singapura dan dari keturunan elit dan bangsawan.

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MCMC: WiMAX Deadline on August

MCMC said that all 4 WiMAX operators(P1, Asiaspace, Redtone, YTLe) must launch WiMAX before September this year.

If the operators don't launch, they can be fined and later has the risk of losing the 2.3Ghz license.

Full Story here.

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Fasha Sandha Kena ‘Brainwash’ oleh Media di Sunway Pyramid
























Menurut Sensasi Selebriti, pelakon jelita tetapi penuh kontroversi, Fasha Sandha, kena ‘basuh’ dan ‘dicuci’ oleh wartawan.

Segalanya berpunca dari Fasha Sandha yang dikatakan memarahi dan memaki editor hiburan Kosmo (Tengku Khalidah Tengku Bidin) dengan kata-kata mencarut berbaur lucah? membuatkan ramai pihak media berpakat untuk memboikot Fasha Sandha. Dikatakan Akmal daripada B.POP juga pernah dimarahi oleh Fasha Sandha. Bukan mereka berdua sahaja, malah ramai lagi wartawan yang ada masalah dengan Fasha Sandha. Sebanyak 15 orang wartawan telah bersepakat dan bersatu hati untuk tidak menyiarkan berita tentang Fasha Sandha.

Menurut Budiey, pemilik Sensasi Selebriti, gambar Fasha tidak akan disiarkan di mana-mana media cetak buat masa ini, kalau ada pun, gambar Fasha akan dipotong (crop). Begitu juga dengan program TV. Seolah-olah Fasha tidak wujud di dalam sesuatu majlis. Namun, untuk media online atau new media dan blog, gambar Fasha boleh lagi disiarkan.

Yang beruntungnya adalah TV3 kerana acara ‘brainwash’ itu diadakan di majlis pelancaran Drama Terbaru Akukah Tanggang dan Lara Rindu Mahsuri yang diadakan di Ole-Ole Bali, Sunway Pyramid pada hari Khamis lalu. Fasha Sandha adalah antara pelakon utama untuk Drama Akukah Tanggang.

Mulanya, Budiey terkejut juga, wah… berani betul Fasha datang ke majlis ini. Dan apabila Budiey perhatikan… boleh dikatakan semua wartawan bertaraf diva duduk di kerusi restoran berkonsep Bali itu, Budiey rasa mesti ada ’something’. Sah-sah ada isu besar yang nak diselesaikan.

Setelah majlis berlangsung, Fasha kelihatan ditemuramah oleh wartawan dari portal hiburan Murai dan Portal Gua. Kemudian semasa Budiey asyik bersembang dengan pelakon Drama Renjis, Sherry Ibrahim, Budiey lihat Fasha dipanggil untuk duduk di meja panjang yang dikelilingi oleh semua wartawan. Siap disuluhi cahaya spotlight lagi. Nak kasi terang sikit. Kot tak nampak pulak air mata Fasha, kan.

Di situ, keadaan tegang berlaku sehingga Fasha merayu memohon maaf kepada semua atas segala kesilapannya. Satu demi satu soalan diajukan dan begitu mengasak dilontarkan
kepada Fasha. Namun, apa-apa pun, Fasha diberi ruang untuk membela dirinya. Fasha katanya tidak mengaku segala dakwaan yang diperkatakan oleh media. Yang Budiey hairan, kalau betullah Fasha buat, mengapa Fasha sanggup mengeluarkan kata kepada editor itu sedangkan selama ini media banyak membantu dia? Setelah selesai ‘bermuzakarah’, Fasha kelihatan menangis dan mengesat air mata yang
jatuh ke pipinya. Ternyata sekarang ramai wartawan marah, geram dan sakit hati
dengan Fasha Sandha.

“Saya minta maaf jika ada perkara yang saya lakukan tanpa sedar. Jika ada perkara yang tidak benar ditulis tentang saya, memanglah saya akan marah. Tapi percayalah, saya tidak pernah mengeluarkan kata-kata kesat kepada wartawan. Dengan adik-beradik sendiri pun saya tidak pernah maki mereka, inikan pula saya ingin memaki wartawan. Apa yang sangat ingat, sepanjang empat tahun dalam industri ini, hanya seorang saja wartawan yang pernah saya maki hamun sebelum ini kerana menulis perkara buruk tentang
saya. Saya harap dengan penjelasan pada hari ini, perkara ini sudah selesai.” -

dipetik dari Mstar Online



Budiey harap, tangisan dan kemaafan itu datang dari hati sanubari Fasha yang luhur ikhlas. Bukan drama dan sandiwara yang direka. Kita tahulah, Fasha seorang pelakon dan pandai berlakon…

Budiey rasa ini satu kes yang sangat berat bagi Fasha kerana selama ini wartawan banyak memberi sokongan dalam menaikkan nama Fasha. Inikah balasan Fasha kepada
wartawan yang sentiasa menyiarkan berita tentang dirinya?

Bayangkan apabila tidak ada lagi cerita dan berita tentang pelakon kontroversi ini di
media. Bayangkan tiada lagi fotografer yang sudi mengambil gambar Fasha… apa yang akan berlaku pada Fasha selepas ini?

Kemungkinan besar ini yang akan berlaku:

1. Nama Fasha Sandha akan tercemar dan merudum jatuh.

2. Peminat Fasha akan lari dan tidak lagi meminatinya. Malah, kemungkinan besar, namanya akan hilang dalam pencalonan Anugerah Bintang Popular pada tahun hadapan.

3. Peminat rasa meluat dan tidak akan melihat drama atau filem yang dilakonkan oleh Fasha.

4. Apabila peminat Fasha tidak mahu menonton drama dan filem lakonan Fasha, secara tidak langsung ini menakutkan pengarah atau penerbit filem untuk mengambil Fasha berlakon. Mahukah mereka mengambil risiko kerugian yang besar setelah tiada orang yang akan ke panggung untuk menonton filem Fasha?

5. Apabila pengarah dan penerbit tidak mahu lagi Fasha berlakon dalam produk mereka, maka ni akan menjejaskan pendapatan Fasha. Budiey dapat tahu yang bayaran Fasha antara yang paling tinggi berbanding dengan pelakon lain.

6. Bayaran untuk Fasha akan lebih sedikit berbanding di zaman kegemilangan Fasha. Dalam kata lain, kalau satu drama telemovie, Fasha boleh dapat RM13 ribu, kemungkinan besar, harga dah jatuh ke RM5 ribu sahaja. Itu hanya contoh ya.

7. Fasha tidak lagi digelar ratu drama atau filem Malaysia. Segalanya akan tinggal sejarah. Yea, akurlah Fasha, dunia ini ibarat roda. Sekali kita berada di atas, ingatlah suatu hari kita pasti akan berada di bawah juga. Tiada yang kekal di dunia ini pun.

8. Nama Fasha akan jatuh dan nama Lisa Surihani, Fazura, Nora Danish,
Dynaz dan Fouziah Ghouse akan mengambil tempat.




Blogger note: Ya, kadang-kadang ada artis yang tak sedar diri...bahawa kehebatan mereka hanya sementara je...tetapi kadang-kadang aku rasa wartawan-wartawan ni take too much credit di dalam meletakkan diri mereka sebagai penjaya karier orang-orang terkenal seperti artis dan ahli sukan. The fact is, if the celebrities play their cards right, they will be popular at the top, no matter what people say about them.

Ramai juga artis dan ahli sukan barat yang dibenci oleh wartawan di sana. Tetapi, kerana bakat mereka dan kebijaksanaan mereka di dalam mempromosikan diri mereka, mereka tetap popular dan diminati ramai juga. Bak kata seorang selebriti di sana, nak jadi popular ada dua cara...satu dengan cara bakat anda yang mesti tidak ada tandingannya, kedua dengan mempastikan cerita negatif anda sentiasa ada sehingga mereka yang tidak menyukai anda terpaksa sentiasa menulis tentangnya....

Don't take me wrong, aku bukan mempertahankan si Fasha yang banyak kontroversi ni. Cuma kadang-kadang aku rasa mual jugak dengan wartawan hiburan ni yang sibuk nak masuk campur privasi selevriti tersebut...kononnya mereka ada hak nak tahu seluar dalam atau apa-apa cerita dalam selebriti tersebut, kemudian ada hati nak take credit dengan kejayaan artis/selebriti tersebut...tetapi bila kena tempelak tau diattack oleh selebriti tersebut gara-gara sikiap over anxious mereka itu sendiri, cepat pulak melenting dan pandai pula nak berpakat nak tutup periuk nasi orang.

Mereka tak sedar yang mereka dan selebriti tersebut saling memerlukan...cuma selebriti selalunya top dulu sebab bakat mereka...sedangkan si wartawan tak tentu pulak bakat mereka menulis yang menghidupkan kerjaya mereka...kalau hebat sangat tentu dah jasi penulis novela kan? wallahualam....

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Sterling Second Quarter for DiGi


By B.K. SIDHU

PETALING JAYA (The Star): DiGi.Com Bhd, which announced another set of sterling results yesterday, remains the “preferred’’ telecoms pick of some research houses as it offers greater upside than the other two listed telcos, Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) and TM International Bhd (TMI).

An analyst in his recent sector update maintained a “neutral” call on the sector as it offered defensive earnings amid an uncertain economic backdrop.

Affin Investment Bank said the cellular sector would continue to grow but the residential fixed line market would see a margin erosion. “We advocate avoiding the fixed line segment altogether.

We see increasing risk not only from lower tariffs but also intensifying residential fixed line drop-outs as alternative broadband solutions materialise,” it said.

To support its argument that the fixed line business would be flat, the report cited the experience of several regional operators such as KT Corp, China Netcom, Chunghwa and China Telecom.

Fixed line revenues of these players were flat or declining, but this was being compensated by other revenue streams, including wireless services. In TM’s case, however, it has transferred its cellular assets to TMI.

The revenues of these companies were flat in recent years and “TM will likely share a similar fate,’’ it said.

Even Ericsson, the world’s largest maker of wireless networks, expects demand for wireless and fixed line telephone networks to remain flattish this year. This means that operators are not buying equipment for fixed line expansion.

Ericsson yesterday announced a 70% drop in its second quarter profit due to factors such as lower demand for phones (See page 10).

As for TMI, the analyst cautioned about TMI’s regional operations, particularly in politically unstable countries such as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, as growth had been crimped.

Overpaying for regional expansion had also not gone down well, especially its recent acquisition of a 19% stake in Idea Cellular.

“We keep our 'reduce' rating on TMI as we see Celcom’s market share, and hence earnings, being threatened by DiGi,” the report said.

“For exposure, we like DiGi which we anticipate will continue to build its market share at the expense of its peers, post the launch of its broadband services.

“Underpinned by strong management, improving network coverage, quality and branding, DiGi is expected to record a decent earnings growth of 13% for financial year 2008. Likewise, dividend yields are above market average at 5.6%,” Affin said.

There is talk that the implementation of mobile number portability (MNP) may be further delayed. Nonetheless, it felt that DiGi would still be the winner in an MNP environment.

DiGi reported a 19% rise in net profit to RM298mil for the quarter ended June 30 from a year earlier. Revenue rose from RM1.05bil to RM1.19bil. Earnings per share was higher at 38.9 sen from 33.4 sen before.

For the first six months, net profit was up 18% to RM588mil from RM496mil previously. Revenue increased 14% from RM2.07bil to RM2.36bil.

DiGi said the higher earnings were led by higher traffic following the introduction of innovative services and offerings. It declared an interim dividend of 57 sen.

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HSBB Signing Delayed

According to Telco Talk Malaysia, it looks like the signing of the HSBB is delayed once more.

According to a Senior official of MCMC, the signing was delayed for 3 reasons.

First, TM and MCMC is still negotiating the HSBB agreement. It seems that MCMC is trying to understand the term "Open Access" that TM is talking about. Open Access allows other ISPs in this country to offer high speed broadband service utilizing the HSBB.

Second, its is believed that the signing will involve the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) of Malaysia and looks like the DPM has a tight schedule.

Third, the second decision might be related to this reason. The recent price hike could have been the reason the Government of Malaysia is delaying this project since it involves some 2.4 billion.

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Malaysia Airlines Don't Handle Qantas 747s
















PETALING JAYA (The Star): Malaysia Airlines has refuted a Qantas pilot's allegation that maintenance of the Quantas Boeing 747 that suffered a ruptured fuselage on Friday had been outsourced to Malaysia.

MAS says the Australian-based airline has also confirmed the claim to be untrue.

MAS senior general manager Mohd Roslan Ismail in a statement Saturday said that MAS only handled the engineering and maintenance of Qantas’ Boeing 737 aircraft and not the 747.

He added that MAS’ engineering and maintenance division held an excellent track record.

“The increasing number of foreign airlines who outsource their aircraft to us is a testimony to our success in this field,” he said, adding that third party contracts comprise 40% of their business.

An unnamed senior Qantas pilot on Saturday told The Daily Telegraph, a Sydney tabloid, that the mid-air calamity on Qantas flight QF30 from London to Melbourne could have been caused by the airline’s outsourcing of maintenance to Malaysia.

A rupture on the fuselage of the 17-year-old aircraft occurred while flying at 8,839m over the South China Sea from a Hong Kong stopover and forced the pilot to perform an emergency landing in Manila at 11am.

None of the 346 passengers and 19 crew was hurt in the emergency landing.

A sheet of metal was torn from the front of the right wing. The plane bearing registration VH-OJK had received a new interior at Victoria’s Avalon airport in March.

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Anwar to Announce Seat in August

By DHARMENDER SINGH


SHAH ALAM (The Star): PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has said that he will announce the parliamentary seat where he will contest in another week or two.

He said he would like to see how many millions the Barisan Nasional will spend to fight the by-election and ensure he does not win.

He said, however, he was confident of the people's support as they now were aware of the failure of the Barisan government in looking after their welfare, following the fuel and goods price hike.

He was speaking at a ceramah at the Jugra Stadium in Banting on Friday.

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Idris May Sue Terengganu Govt Over Erroneous Figure

Blogger note: Amazing huh....the state of politics in our country ? Former Terengganu MB, the still active BN/UMNO politician Idris Jusoh, is suing the current Terengganu govt. I wonder the headache of current BN/UMNO leaders especially that of PM. The fact that it is out on the open in mainstream media make the current situation mindboggling....

BESUT (The Star): Former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh is contemplating legal action against the Terengganu government for putting him in a bad light over the Proton Perdana V6 Executive controversy.

His special assistant, Kamarulazman Idris, said a lawyer had been engaged to study legal action on the statement issued by the state government that RM235,123.08 had been paid to maintain the Proton Perdana V6 Executive used by Idris from 2004 to this year.

The actual amount used to maintain the car (registration TS 12) was RM131,449.83, he pointed out.

“My boss’ reputation as Jerteh assemblyman has been smeared due to the statement,” he said.

On Thursday, State Secretary Datuk Mokthar Nong apologised for the error, adding that it was made by a clerk in his office who miscalculated the total sum incurred to service the car used by Idris

Kamarulazman said it baffled him why the state government was quick to provide the erroneous figure to the media after the state exco meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.

“The damage is already done and his (Idris’) reputation is tarnished,” he added.

Kamarulazman said the issue should not be deliberately politicised just because Idris was abroad and was unable to counter any allegations against him.

Idris is completing a six-month management course in Paris and is scheduled to return on Aug 8.


Related Stories:

PM: Terengganu must follow decision to use Perdanas for exco members

Terengganu's Mercedes Benzes only for foreign VIPs, says PM

Terengganu’s cars only cost RM542 a year, says Proton

RM88,000 for upkeep of Perak exco man’s Perdana

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Inul's KL Concert Cancelled

PETALING JAYA (The Star): Indonesian singer Inul Daratista's concert at Stadium Putra, Bukit Jalil, on Saturday has been cancelled after Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) cancelled the permit.

Inul who is famous for her gelek gerudi (killer gyration) hip movements performed in the country last year as well as in 2005.

According to news reports, Nasir Abu Bakar of IMS Prima Sdn Bhd (the concert organiser) said that he was disappointed with the decision because the Central Committee for Filming and Performance by Foreign Artiste had given the green light for the event. "We received the directive from DBKL to cancel the concert due to national security. If that is the reason, there is nothing else I can say," he told the media.

Inul's concert in Johor Baru was also cancelled at the very last minute after it could not get approval from various government departments in the state.

Nasir said his company had incurred RM800,000 in losses following the cancellation of the concerts in Johor and Kuala Lumpur.

He said those who had purchased tickets to the concert could ask for refunds from the company's office at 63A, Jalan Raja Alang, Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur, or call 03-2693 6818.

Two years ago, Inul's concert at Stadium Merdeka and Genting Highlands received overwhelming support without any untoward incidents.

On Friday, National PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub backed his Federal Territory Youth chief Kamaruzaman Mohamad’s protest against Inul's concert.

A group led by Kamaruzaman handed a memorandum to Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Abdul Hakim Borhan on Wednesday calling for Inul’s concert to be cancelled.

The memorandum cited many reasons including that the concert was “erotic”.

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Djokovic Falls, Nadal Survives Scare in Toronto

By Steve Keating

TORONTO (Reuters)
- Defending champion Novak Djokovic lost to Andy Murray in the Toronto Masters quarter-finals but Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal survived a scare to advance on Friday.

Nadal, in his first tournament since his epic five-set win over Roger Federer at Wimbledon, was pushed by Frenchman Richard Gasquet before rallying to claim a 6-7 6-2 6-1 victory.

The Spaniard will face Murray on Saturday for a place in Sunday's final after the eighth-seeded Murray shocked Djokovic 6-3 7-6.

The other semi-final will pit in-form Frenchman Gilles Simon against German journeyman Nicolas Kiefer.

Simon, who shocked Federer in the second round, continued his magical hardcourt campaign, outlasting hard-hitting Croatian Marin Cilic 3-6 6-2 6-3 while Kiefer, seeking his first title in eight years, demolished seventh-seeded American James Blake 6-1 6-2.

Gasquet, who had never beaten Nadal in four career meetings, looked determined to end the drought, battling the world number two to a first set tiebreak and winning it on his sixth set point with a driving forehand winner.

But the effort appeared to drain Gasquet and steel Nadal, who broke to take a 4-1 lead in the second and swept through eight of the next 10 games to finish off the Frenchman in two hours 19 minutes.

"It was an emotional tiebreak, I had my chance but he had more than me and finally he played a little bit better," Nadal, who claimed his first career hardcourt title in Canada in 2005, told reporters.

"He played well but later I improved a little bit my intensity, my rhythm, I start to move him a little bit more and he had a few more mistakes.

"If you win the tiebreak sometimes you start a little more relaxed, so I know this and started the second set 100 percent."

CAREER MEETINGS

Murray, searching for his first win in five career meetings with Djokovic, broke the Australian Open champion at the first opportunity to move into a 3-0 lead and eased to the opening set.

The players exchanged breaks in the second but Murray dominated the tiebreak, winning it 7-3 to reach the Canadian semi-finals for the second time.

"It's a big win mentally for me," Murray said. "The last three times I played him I lost pretty badly.

"The first time I played him I was a set and a break up and lost. It was pretty much similar to tonight.

"Against the top guys you always expect them to come back, and he did that in the second set.

"But I've been playing well and I felt like I had a chance of winning."

(Editing by Ed Osmond)

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Federer's Grip on No. 1 Spot Loosens After Upset at Rogers Cup

By Mason Levinson

July 24 (Bloomberg) -- Roger Federer lost in his first match since Rafael Nadal beat him in the Wimbledon tennis final, putting in jeopardy his four-year stint atop the world rankings.

World No. 22 Gilles Simon yesterday beat Federer 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the second round of the Rogers Cup in Toronto. It was Federer's first loss at the Rexall Centre after winning 12 straight matches en route to the 2004 and 2006 titles.

"It's important to stay positive,'' Federer, who twice lost his serve in the final set, said in comments posted on the ATP's Web site. "It's the start of, what is it, nine months of hard court? It's not the end of the world, but I wish it could have started better.''

Should second-ranked Nadal win the Rogers Cup, he would have a chance at next week's Western & Southern Financial Group Masters in Cincinnati to end Federer's 234-week reign as the top- ranked player.

Federer had begun 2008 with a 1,445 point lead over Nadal in the rankings. That advantage had almost halved going into the Toronto event, where 500 points are awarded to the winner.

Spain's Nadal, who beat Federer in five sets July 6 to earn his first Wimbledon title, rallied from a 1-4 first-set deficit to defeat American Jesse Levine 6-4, 6-2.

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PIDM & You Contest

It pays to know about deposit insurance!

Enter the PIDM & YOU CONTEST and you stand a chance to win fantastic cash prizes, including the Grand Prize of RM25,000. Just answer 4 simple questions on deposit insurance.

No purchase needed. No gimmicks. A basic understanding of deposit insurance is all you need. It’s so simple.

Every week from 14 July till 31 August 2008, a winner will walk away with a cash prize. It could be you. Answer 4 simple questions correctly via SMS, online or contest forms*. Enter as many times as you wish each week and these prizes could be yours.

Grand Prize: RM25,000 x1
Weekly Prize: RM2,000 x7
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Special Prize: RM1,000 x 4 (only in August)


Accumulate as many entries as possible. The more you enter, the greater your chance at winning. You have so many ways to submit your entries – SMS, online, contest form* or all three.

SMS + Online + Contest Form* Entries
The 1,000th entry with correct answers in each week’s accumulation of SMS, online and contest form* entries wins RM2,000 cash.

* Contest forms are available in August 2008 in selected newspapers.

SMS Entries
The 200th entry with correct answers in each week’s accumulation of SMS entries wins RM500 cash. Unlimited entries per person. The cost of each SMS is RM0.50. Normal telco rates also apply.

Online Entries
The 200th entry with correct answers in each week’s accumulation of online entries wins RM500 cash. Online entries are limited to 10 entries per person a day.


The contestant with the overall highest number of correct entries in the contest wins the RM25,000 cash prize.

This contest is open to all Malaysians aged 18 years and above.

For the full list of Terms & Conditions, please click HERE.

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Rossi Edges Stoner for First US Win



















Valentino Rossi extended his Moto GP championship lead after a fascinating duel with Casey Stoner saw him claim his maiden victory at the United States MotoGP at Laguna Seca.

There had been nothing to choose between the pair until Stoner rode into the gravel with eight laps remaining and although he managed to get back into the race, the Australian could not claw back the gap.

However, the duo had built up such a lead that the Ducati of Stoner was still able to finish ahead of Chris Vermeulen in third with Britain's James Toseland finishing ninth.

Yamaha's Rossi finished in 44minutes 04.01seconds ahead of Stoner in 44mins 17.31secs with last year's runner-up Vermeulen clocking 44:30.92.

The result sees Rossi take a 25-point lead over Stoner in the championship standings as the riders go into their four-week summer break before the next race in Brno.

With Dani Pedrosa injured, Stoner had been expected to narrow the gap on Rossi after dominating practice and qualifying.

However, Rossi overtook Stoner on the first lap and the pair were involved in a battle of their own.

It was impossible to call with one rider overtaking the other on a number of occasions and at times were even within touching distance.

However, it was Rossi who was dominant but on lap 24 Stoner got too close to his rival and was forced to slow down and go into the gravel.

His front wheel became stuck in a hole and the bike toppled over to rob the race of a dramatic finale and seal victory for Rossi who went on to take his first win at Laguna Seca.

via

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Hamilton Wins Dramatic German GP

Lewis Hamilton was forced to use all his bravery and skill to overcome a strategic blunder by McLaren which almost cost him the German Grand Prix.

The Briton seized the lead in the Formula One championship when he won at Hockenheim after overtaking Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Renault's Nelson Piquet Jr at the same hairpin corner.

Australian Red Bull driver Mark Webber saw his run of points end when his car collected debris from a heavy crash by Toyota driver Timo Glock.

Glock was hospitalised after the crash, which brought out a safety car in an episode which almost halted Hamilton's bid to win his fourth victory of the season.

Most teams chose to pit when the safety car was out, but McLaren left its star driver out only to see him fall to fifth place when his turn to pit with 17 laps remaining finally came.

But Hamilton, who now leads Massa by four points in the overall standings, worked his way through the field before nudging past the Ferrari driver from the inside at turn six.

Piquet Jr earned his first career podium after starting from 17th while Massa was third.

The news was not so bright for Webber, who suffered his first retirement since the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

He was philosophical later, accepting it was unlikely he would have scored points during the race in any case.

"We knew it would be a tight race with the guys that were around us on the grid," Webber said.

"We know the weaknesses of our car here and we'll work on those before the next race."

McLaren admitted their mistake, with team boss Ron Dennis telling Hamilton over the radio: "Sorry we had to make it a little bit difficult for you, absolutely fantastic job."

Hamilton, who earned his eighth career win from 27 races, replied with a chuckle but said later he was baffled by the call.

"I think we probably should have come in, (but) at the end of the day I don't always know what's happening (in the garage).

"Perhaps we could have done a better job," he said.

"It just made my job a little harder."

It was Hamilton's second straight victory after winning the British GP at Silverstone on July 6.

Piquet Jr also secured Renault's first top-three finish of the season to put two Brazilians on the podium for the first time since 1991, when his father Nelson Piquet finished third at Belgium behind winner Ayrton Senna.

"I was so concentrated, I just wanted to look forward. I didn't want to spend too much time looking at how many laps but just focusing," the 22-year-old said after his first ever podium in his 10th GP.

Ferrari was a step behind its rival all weekend.

Massa's car lacked the pace and grip to hold off the McLaren, and high temperatures in the brakes kept him from challenging Piquet Jr. down the stretch.

"I didn't have the car to fight. It was not possible today," Massa said.

With teammate and world champion Kimi Raikkonen finishing sixth, Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali said the Italian team must sort out its problems before the next GP at Hungary on Aug. 3.

Raikkonen now trails Hamilton by seven points, while Robert Kubica of BMW Sauber is 10 behind after finishing seventh.

Glock was accelerating through turn 12 before his rear suspension appeared to snap.

The 26-year-old German's car spun across the track and went backward into the opposite wall at high speed. He emerged clutching his back before going to hospital for a check-up.

via

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Opinion: Encourage More Open Debates

I REFER to “Debate has taken democracy a step forward, says Shabery” (The
Star, July 17). Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek should be
commended for debating the oil price rise with PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri
Anwar Ibrahim.

The debate has won the praise of the majority of Malaysians. That itself was a great success and the Government should be praised for allowing such an unprecedented event.

There are many opinions as to who was the winner of the debate. To my mind the debate itself was the real winner, not Anwar or Shabery. As the Information Minister said, it was a victory for openness and the real winner was democracy.

The debate was conducted in a highly professional manner and the speakers, coordinators and audience displayed tremendous maturity in discussing the important issue at hand – the rise in fuel prices.

It just goes to show that Malaysians today are mature enough for openness and dialogue to overcome the many problems facing them. They are ready to listen to opposing views and accept what is right and reject what is wrong.

The Government should build on this readiness of the people for a more open system of governance, where opposing views are encouraged and appreciated.

It would be the best way to check street protests, demonstrations and rallies that are obsolete in this modern era of Information Technology.

Organising debates alone may not suffice and the authorities must be willing to listen to the suggestions put forward by the debaters, otherwise it would defeat the very purpose for which the debate was intended in the first place.

Malaysians in general have responded positively to the debate and they hope this will not be the first and last of such debates.

Similar debates to present one’s views on other important issues affecting the nation should become the norm in the future, and there is a need to inculcate a mindset of dialogue and debate in our younger generation.

There should not be any issue that will be too sensitive for debate, as long as it is done in a professionally controlled and civil manner.

Developments in the country since the last general election show that the people are ready for a more mature and elitist dialogue and debate on all issues confronting all sections of the population.

DR CHRIS ANTHONY,
Butterworth, Penang.


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EPF Buys 4.35m TM shares, Sells 2m shares

KUALA LUMPUR (The Star): The Employees Provident Fund Board acquired 4.35 million Telekom Malaysia Bhd shares from July 10 to 17, according to a filing with Bursa Malaysia.

The filing issued Monday showed it acquired 939,100 shares on July 10 and 2.05 million shares the next day and 1.35 million shares on July 17. It also disposed of 300,000 shares on July 10 and 1.78 million shares the next day.

After the recent transactions, the EPF’s total shareholding was 453.91 million shares or 12.69%.

A separate filing showed that Amanah Raya Nominees (Tempatan) Sdn Bhd - Skim Amanah Saham Bumiputra disposed of two million shares on July 14.

After the recent disposal, its shareholding was reduced to 295.89 million shares or 8.27%.

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Zimbabwe Introduces $100 billion Banknotes

















HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- Zimbabwe's troubled central bank introduced $100 billion banknotes Saturday in a desperate bid to ease the recurrent cash shortages plaguing the inflation-ravaged economy.

The bills officially come into circulation Monday, although they were on the foreign currency dealers market Saturday.

As high as they are, though, the bills still aren't enough to buy a loaf of bread. They can buy only four oranges.

The new note is equal to just one U.S. dollar.

Once-prosperous Zimbabwe has seen an unprecedented economic meltdown since it gained independence in 1980, with the official inflation rate now at 2.2 million percent.

Gideon Gono, governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, said the new notes are for "the convenience of the banking public and corporate sector" in light of price hikes.

"The RBZ has noted with concern the unjustifiable and incessant general increases in prices of goods and services. It is therefore appealing to the business community to follow ethical business practices as well as take an interest in the plight of the general public," Gono said in a statement dated Friday.

Zimbabwe started issuing large bank notes in December, starting with denominations of $250,000.

In January, the government issued bills in denominations of $1 million, $5 million, and $10 million -- and in May, it issued bills from $25 million and $50 million up to $25 billion and $50 billion.

The new bills are actually bearer checks and have an expiration date of December 31. Zimbabwe has not had formal currency since the introduction of bearer checks as a temporary measure in 2003.

"The RBZ is fighting a losing battle," economist John Robertson said in Harare. "As long as the inflation remains high, cash shortages will persist. There is need to address the inflation by increasing production so that too goods do not [cost] a lot of money."

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Hamilton Puts McLaren on Pole in Germany























Lewis Hamilton maintained his Hockenheim momentum in qualifying on Saturday afternoon, and had the answer when Ferrari’s Felipe Massa appeared to have pole position wrapped up. The Brazilian had lapped in 1m 15.859s to deprive Heikki Kovalainen of the honour, but Hamilton’s 1m 15.666s gave him the final word for McLaren.

This time Kimi Raikkonen was not able to maintain the grid symmetry for Ferrari, and it is Jarno Trulli who will start from fourth place for Toyota after posting 1m 16.191s. Former champion Fernando Alonso was fifth with 1m 16.385s for Renault, and then came Raikkonen, with 1m 16.389s.

Robert Kubica was seventh in the sole BMW Sauber in Q3 on 1m 16.521s, leaving Mark Webber and David Coulthard in their Red Bulls to sandwich stable mate Sebastian Vettel’s Toro Rosso. The Australian lapped in 1m 17.014s, the German in 1m 17.244s and the Scot 1m 17.503s.

Vettel proved the only one of Germany’s five runners to make it through to Q3. Toyota’s Timo Glock, BMW Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld and Williams’ Nico Rosberg all fell in Q2, lining up 11th to 13th respectively with laps of 1m 15.508s, 1m 15.581s and 1m 15.633s. All three had cause to be disappointed, the first two because of the performances of their team mates, the last because he had entertained hopes that Hockenheim would suit his Williams.

Q2 also weeded out Honda’s Jenson Button (1m 15.701s) and Sebastien Bourdais (1m 15.858s), who ruined his chances on the softer Bridgestone tyre after locking up and sliding straight on in Turn Two.

Kazuki Nakajima will start 16th in the second Williams, on 1m 16.083s, Nelson Piquet slumped again for Renault with 1m 16.189s, Rubens Barrichello struggled to 1m 16.246s in his Honda, and local boy Adrian Sutil just pipped Force India team mate Giancarlo Fisichella with 1m 16.657s to 1m 16.963s.

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Racist Get Owned

This scene took place on a British Airways flight between Johannesburg, South Africa & London.

This is a true story.

A White woman, about 50 years old, was seated next to a Black man. Obviously disturbed by this, she called the air Hostess.

“Madam, what is the matter?” - the Hostess asked.

“You obviously do not see it then?” - she responded, - “You placed me next to a Black man. I do not agree to sit next to someone from such a repugnant group. Give me an alternative seat!.”

“Be calm please, ” - The Hostess replied. - “Almost all the places on this flight are taken. I will go to see if another seat is available.”

The Hostess went away and then came back a few minutes later.

“Madam, just as I thought, there are no other available seats in the Economy class. I spoke to the Captain and he informed me that there is also no seats in the Business class. All the same, we still have one seat in the First class.”

Before the woman could say anything, the Hostess continued:

“It is not usual for our company to permit someone from the Economy class to sit in the First class. However, given the circumstances, the Captain feels that it would be scandalous to make someone sit next to someone so disgusting.”

She turned to the Black guy, and said:

“Therefore, Sir, if you would like to, please collect your hand luggage, a seat awaits you in First class.”

At that moment, the other passengers who were shocked by what they had just witnessed stood up and applauded.


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One Wish Each

A couple was golfing one day on a very, very exclusive golf course,
lined with million dollar houses. On the third tee the husband said,
"Honey, be very careful when you drive the ball don't knock out any
windows. It'll cost us a fortune to fix."

The wife teed up and shacked it right through the window of the
biggest house on the course. The husband cringed and said, "I told you to watch out for the houses. Alright, let's go up there, apologize and see how much this is going to cost."

They walked up, knocked on the door, and heard a voice say, "Come on
in." They opened the door and saw glass all over the floor and a broken bottle lying on its side in the foyer. A man on the couch said, "Are you the people that broke my window?"

"Uh, yeah. Sorry about that." the husband replied.

"No, actually I want to thank you. I'm a genie that was trapped for a
thousand years in that bottle. You've released me. I'm allowed to
grant three wishes-I'll give you each one wish, and I'll keep the last
one for myself."

"OK, great!" the husband said. " I want a million dollars a year for
the rest of my life." "No problem-it's the least I could do. And you, what do you want?" the genie said, looking at the wife.
"I want a house in every country of the world," she said.
"Consider it done." the genie replied.

"And what's your wish, genie?", the husband said.
"Well, since I've been trapped in that bottle, I haven't had sex with
a woman in a thousand years. My wish is to sleep with your wife."

The husband looks at the wife and said, "Well, we did get a lot of
money and all those houses, honey. I guess I don't care." The genie took the wife upstairs and ravished her for two hours.

After it was over, the genie rolled over, looked at the wife, and
said, "How old is your husband, anyway?"
"35." she replied.

"And he still believes in genies?….That's amazing!"

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Corkscrew Coconut Tree in Zanzibar




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Chelsea set to land Kaka for record £80m

Julio Gomes Filho and Sid Lowe in Madrid
The Guardian,
Saturday July 19, 2008


Chelsea appear set to sign the Milan playmaker Kaka for a world-record €100m (£79.3m) after discussions took place this week, with both clubs and the Brazil international keen for a deal to go through. Sources at Stamford Bridge have confirmed that Chelsea are targeting the 26-year-old and it is understood that Milan are inclined to accept a bid of €100m tabled this week.

Initially reluctant to depart, Kaka now believes the transfer, which would smash the record of £46m Real Madrid paid for Zinedine Zidane in 2001, is in everyone's interests. His contract does not expire until 2012 but he is eager to play for Luiz Felipe Scolari, who gave him his international debut against Bolivia in 2002 and included him in the Brazil squad for that year's World Cup finals despite him being only 20 years old. The current world and European player of the year also believes Chelsea are the most attractive destination in European football.

Chelsea sent a representative to Milan this week to present a bid to the Italian club. Far from rejecting the offer out of hand as is normal practice and as they did with approaches from Real Madrid last summer, Milan sent a delegation to London and negotiations have continued.

Discussions have also taken place with the player's camp over personal terms, with Kaka, who has scored 22 goals in 59 games for his country, set to earn a significant rise on his salary as well as a €15m signing-on fee. He will arrive in Milan today after spending the summer recovering from arthroscopy on his knee at Sao Paulo's training centre in Brazil.

"Real Madrid offered €90m last summer and Milan did not even think about the bid," said Kaka's personal assistant and closest adviser, Diogo Kotscho. "This time is different. This is the first time we feel that a deal will definitely happen. Because of the [financial] situation Milan are in at the moment, the deal is good for all parties involved.

"The move would represent a significant increase in Kaka's salary, on top of the 10% transfer fee that goes straight to the player anyway - some €15m. Chelsea are the club to be at right now. They are building a team to win everything."

Given their current financial difficulties, Milan can ill afford to reject such a huge bid. Having failed to qualify for the Champions League, they have had to cut costs at the same time as embarking on the renewal of an ageing squad. They continue to seek a striker and the sale of Kaka would enable them to follow through on their interest in Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor, despite their vice-president Adriano Galliani's claim that Ronaldinho would be their final signing of the summer. Meanwhile, the arrival of the former Barcelona player - and the tumultuous reception he was given - has persuaded them they can release Kaka, safe in the knowledge that they have a glamour signing in his place.

Kaka believes he has shown his loyalty to Milan by staying last season, despite Madrid's interest. He has not demanded a transfer this season either, with the impetus coming from the two clubs. However, he does not want to continue at a club that will not play in this season's Champions League. Kaka's relationship with Galliani and the club's owner Silvio Berlusconi has also been strained by Milan's refusal to allow him to represent Brazil at the Olympics. Milan said Kaka was "tired" - a claim he publicly denied. Worse still, Ronaldinho has been allowed to go to Beijing.

If the deal can be completed it would virtually destroy the chances of the Real Madrid forward Robinho completing his "dream" move to Stamford Bridge. The La Liga champions are unwilling to sell until they can sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United. Last night Sir Alex Ferguson insisted the Portugal winger would still be at Old Trafford next season.

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Ong Tee Keat To Contest MCA President's Post

KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 (Bernama) -- After keeping mum on speculation that he planned to contest the top post in MCA, its vice president and Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat tonight announced that he would offer himself for the post at the party's upcoming polls in October.

"In view of the fact that the incumbent, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting is not seeking re-election, I resolve to offer myself for the post amid such an unprecedented testing time for the party," he told Bernama here Friday night.

The decision was made on his own accord, he said.

Tee Keat, was met after attending the installation of the new office bearers of the Federation of Serdang Non-Governmental Organisations in Seri Kembangan near here.

Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting and his deputy Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy last month announced that they would not be seeking re-election for the party president and deputy president's post in the party's elections scheduled for Oct 18.

Tee Keat had been speculated to be the forerunner for the top post following the announcements by Ong and Chan.

Tee Keat currently is one of the three MCA vice presidents. The others are former Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Fong Chan Onn and former deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai.

-- BERNAMA

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Great Photography Tutorials and Links From Around the Web

17 Hot Photography Links From Around the Web


Make Your own BikeCAM - a fun DIY with a video
5 Ways to Hold Your Viewer’s Attention - 5 simple composition techniques
Transforming a Daylight Image into a Wild Night - Photoshop tutorial
Nine Reasons to Manually Focus When Taking Pictures - sometimes manual focusing is your best option
The Importance of focus and quick tips on how to get it right - another focusing related tutorial
My Photography Workflow - Photographer Thomas Hawk talks us through his workflow
The 15 Second DIY Adjustable Snoot! - a fast DIY
The Nuts and Bolts of Off-Camera Flash - first part of a four part series on off camera flash (part 2 here).
8 Photography Myths Debunked - just what the title says :-)
Getting Rid of Dust Spots - Photoshopping tips
Flicker Flash - How to capture movement with a series of strobe flashes
Introduction to Digital Photography - 10 Ways to Improve your skills
On Assignment: Night Chopper Pt 2 - 2nd in a series of shots taking you on a shoot of a chopper at night
Your Guide to Buying Old Film Cameras - Feeling Retro? This one’s for you!
Seeing the Possibilities - a great post on how to see possibilities in different locations
Understanding Camera Exposure Modes - talking you through spot, evaluative and center-weighted metering.
Curves color enhancement tutorial - a video screencast of GIMP in action


5 Tutorials from our Archives that You Might have Missed!


18 Exceptionally Useful Photoshop Shortcuts - the most popular post from July last year
7 Strategies for Avoiding Flash Blow Out - we’ve all suffered from it - but how do you overcome flash blowout?
4 Rues of Composition for Landscape Photography - some basic ideas on composition
Using Flash in Action Photography - tips and some cool photos
How to Photograph Pets - always a popular photographic subject - Pets!


Source: Digital Photography School

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And The Third Lady Fainted...


Three ladies were having tea and talking about life.

"I think my husband is having an affair" says the first "I found a pair of panties in his jacket pocket".

"What did you do" the second lady asked?

"I went into his office over the weekend and I stapled them to his office door, right where his secretary, co-workers, and boss would all see them."

The second lady said "I think that my husband is having an affair also. I found a condom in his jacket pocket."

"What did you do" the first lady asked.

"I took a pin and pricked it full of holes and then I put it back" said the second lady.

The third lady fainted.

via

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Panggilan Hormat

(a) Yang di-Pertuan Agong - *DYMM Seri Paduka Baginda
(b) Raja Permaisuri Agong - DYMM Seri Paduka Baginda
(c) Raja Perlis - DYMM Tuanku
(d) Sultan Kedah - Ke Bawah DYMM Al-Sultan
(e) Sultanah Kedah - Ke Bawah DYMM Tuanku
(f) Sultan Selangor - DYMM Sultan
(g) Tengku Ampuan Selangor - DYMM Tengku Ampuan
(h) Yang Dipertuan Besar - DYMM Tuanku Negeri Sembilan
(i) Tunku Ampuan - DYMM Tuanku Negeri Sembilan
(j) Sultan Pahang - Ke Bawah DYMM Sultan
(k) Sultanah Pahang - DYMM Sultanah
(l) Sultan Terengganu - DYMM Sultan
(m) Tengku Ampuan Besar - DYMM Tengku Ampuan Terengganu
(n) Al-Sultan Kelantan - Ke Bawah DYMM Tuanku
(o) Raja Perempuan Kelantan - DYMM Tengku
(p) Sultan Johor - DYMM Baginda Sultan
(q) Sultanah Johor - DYMM Baginda Sultanah
(r) Paduka Seri Sultan Perak - DYMM Paduka Seri Sultan
(s) Raja Permaisuri Perak - DYMM Raja Permaisuri Darul Ridzuan
(t) Yang DiPertua Negeri Melaka, Sarawak, Sabah dan Pulau Pinang - Tuan Yang Terutama
(u) Isteri Yang DiPertua Melaka, Sarawak, Sabah dan Pulau Pinang - Yang Amat Berbahagia

*DYMM = Duli Yang Maha Mulia

Panggilan hormat bagi orang-orang kenamaan yang lain ialah:

(a) Perdana Menteri - Yang Amat Berhormat
(b) Isteri Perdana Menteri - Yang Amat Berbahagia
(c) Timbalan Perdana Menteri - Yang Amat Berhormat
(d) Isteri Timbalan Perdana Menteri - Yang Amat Berbahagia
(e) Menteri Besar/Ketua Menteri - Yang Amat Berhormat
(f) Isteri Menteri Besar/Ketua Menteri - Yang Amat Berbahagia
(g) Menteri, Timbalan Menteri - Yang Berhormat
(h) Isteri Menteri dan Timbalan - Yang Berbahagia
(i) Tun/isteri - Yang Amat Berbahagia
(j) Tan Sri/isteri - Yang Berbahagia
(k) Datuk selain negeri Johor - Yang Berbahagia
(l) Dato’ dari negeri Johor - Yang Berhormat
(m) Raja/Tengku - Yang Mulia
(n) Isteri Raja/Tengku - Yang Berbahagia
(o) Panglima Angkatan Tentera/isteri - Yang Berbahagia
(p) Ketua Polis Negara/isteri Yang Berbahagia
(q) Ketua Hakim Negara - Yang Amat Arif
(r) Isteri Ketua Hakim Negara - Yang Amat Berbahagia
(s) Hakim Besar - Yang Arif
(t) Isteri Hakim Besar - Yang Berbahagia
(u) Hakim Mahkamah Agong/Tinggi - Yang Arif
(v) Isteri Hakim Mahkamah Agong/Tinggi - Yang Berbahagia
(w) Peguam Negara/isteri - Yang Berbahagia
(x) Ketua Pengarah Perkhidmatan Awam/isteri - Yang Berbahagia
(y) Ketua-Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian dan Ketua-ketua Jabatan Peringkat Persekutuan/isteri - Yang Berbahagia
(z) Ketua-Ketua Jabatan Negeri - Yang Berusaha/Yang Berbahagia

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Opinion: Need for a second Penang bridge is very real

THOUGH I would love to agree with S.M. Mohamed Idris, that a second Penang bridge is not the best answer for Penang (The Star July 13), I still find it to be a necessity despite its rising cost.

Decades before when there was talk of building the current Penang Bridge, some quarters protested saying that increasing the frequency of the ferry service between George Town and Butterworth was sufficient and that building a bridge would be unnecessary!

Yet, just three years after the opening of the Penang Bridge, tragedy struck at the Butterworth ferry terminal when the floor of the upper level of the terminal gave way.

That tragedy made the bridge the only link between the mainland and the island for some time.

Alternatively, if something were to happen to the Penang Bridge that required closure for days or weeks, would the ferry service alone be able to handle the situation?

Have we forgotten how a bomb hoax on the bridge last year that required the bridge to be closed for a few hours threw George Town and Butterworth into chaos when the ferry became the only lifeline?

No doubt the ferry service needs upgrading, and an LRT line should be considered on the Penang Bridge but the need for a second Penang bridge is very real.

SAZALI HASHIM,

George Town, Penang.

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Ramsey & Vela In Arsenal Squad For Barnet



Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has named a 24-man squad for the Gunners’ opening pre-season fixture on Saturday - the traditional July friendly against Barnet.

Arsenal reserves play their home games at Barnet’s Underhill stadium, which is where Saturday’s curtain-raiser will be held.


Arsenal.com reports that Wenger will have a mixture of first-team and youth team players at his disposal for the match.


Manuel Almunia, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna, Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott are included in the squad, along with new signing from Cardiff City, Aaron Ramsey, who could make his Gunners debut. Carlos Vela is also in the squad after returning from his season-long loan with Osasuna in Spain.

Arsenal squad:

Manuel ALMUNIA (GK)
Nacer BARAZITE
Nicklas BENDTNER
Gael CLICHY
DENILSON
James DUNNE
Rui FONTE
Gavin HOYTE
Justin HOYTE
Henri LANSBURY
Vito MANNONE (GK)
Havard NORDTVEIT
Abu OGOGO
Aaron RAMSEY
Mark RANDALL
Paul RODGERS
Bacary SAGNA
Jay SIMPSON
Rene STEER
Wojciech SZCZESNY (GK)
Armand TRAORE
Carlos VELA
Theo WALCOTT
Jack WILSHERE


Martk Hinton, Goal.com

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The Hottest Sauce In The World


Hot Sauce Blog reviews Blair's 16 Million Reserve - the hottest sauce in the world. The extravagant bottle contains a tiny 1ml vial of pure capsicum crystals, the hottest chili powder known to man. Nothing in the world could get hotter then this 16 Million Reserve.


From the review:

After about 5 mintues of boiling, my soup was ready to go. First bite was not that hot, so I had the wife take a bite. She threatened divorce once she could speak again.


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Opinion: Reform of GLCs a Good Job

I REFER to the comment by Azman Ujang (The Star, July 12) on the positive changes taking place in government-linked companies such as Malaysia Airlines, the CIMB Group and Telekom Malaysia Bhd.

His points are timely and appropriate, particularly on MAS, which would be flying into turbulent times because of the rising prices of crude oil.

I am positive that MAS, under the new clime created for GLCs, would take the necessary cost-cutting measures and yet remain profitable, competitive and productive.

As a taxpayer, I salute the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for the far-sighted changes he has made for these GLCs, which were previously known for their losses rather than as global brands. I think Malaysians have sometimes overlooked this important achievement by Pak Lah.

The GLCs like MAS and CIMB have been so successful that Malaysians see them completely as private concerns but that is good. Pak Lah, we must not forget, has allowed a non-Muslim bumiputra Datuk Seri Idris Jala to be a CEO of MAS, believing race and religion are irrelevant so long as the person can do the job.

The fact that Khazanah Holdings has many non-bumiputras in very senior positions is another example of the opportunities that Pak Lah has created for all Malaysians.

He has set the precedent and we hope during the next two years of his leadership, he would continue to make such appointments without taking into account race as a criteria.

As a Malaysian taxpayer, as long as the person chosen to head these companies is effective, that's all that matters to me.

Aggregate earnings of the 20 largest GLCs listed on Bursa Malaysia jumped a whopping 91% to RM19.1bil last year from RM10bil in 2004, and I think the figures speak for themselves how the GLCS have reformed.

Market capitalisation of these GLCs, as Azman pointed out, increased by 58% or RM85bil over the last four years, outperforming the broader Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) marginally by 0.7%.

Finally, I wish to thank Pak Lah for the reforms he has carried out in various sectors, and we hope he would do more in the next two years under his tenure.

MOHD IQBAL BAKAR,

Petaling Jaya.

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Petronas Chief Lashes Out at Talent Poachers

PETALING JAYA (The Star): The record high oil price has posed a challenge for Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) to stave off poachers seeking its trained staff while it seeks to expand its oil reserves.

President and chief executive officer Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Marican said it was not only the national oil corporation affected by the poaching of staff by companies in the Middle East.

“We have said before that Middle Eastern companies need to invest in training their own people and stop poaching trained people from other companies,” he said during Tuesday's briefing on the group’s results for the financial year ended March 31.

While he did not provide the number of staff who had left, Hassan said the poaching “has not had a major impact on our international or domestic operations”.

Petronas anticipated the staff poaching issue several years ago, he said adding that among international oil companies, there was mutual respect and understanding in Malaysia and also globally, that they would not poach from one another.

However, the poaching was by the Middle East companies and countries.

Petronas has more than 30,000 workers in more than 30 countries. Of the total workforce, 82% are Malaysians involved in upstream and downstream projects in a variety of geographic and business environments.

Besides having to contend with training and retaining its talent, the national oil corporation had also to embark on strategies to expand its oil and gas reserves through international ventures and deepwater exploration.




Hassan said Malaysia’ total reserves had fallen 0.5% to 26.37 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe) as at Jan 1 from 26.49 billion boe on Jan 1 last year.

Crude oil and condensates accounted for 7.88 billion of the 26.37 billion boe while natural gas reserves were 18.49 billion boe. Domestic reserves totalled 20.13 billion boe and the remaining 24% or 6.24 billion boe were its international reserves.

Hassan said the reserves replacement ratio, based on the total reserves, had fallen to 0.9 times from 1.8 times last year.

However, it was more acute for its international reserves where the reserves replacement ratio had fallen sharply to only 0.6 times from 3.2 times.

Petronas had also stepped up operations to increase the national reserves, which saw it venturing more into deepwater exploration.

Since 2004, there has been a gradual increase in the reserves from the deepwater, from 4.34 billion boe to 5.46 billion boe this year.

On the outlook for Malaysia, Hassan said currently the country was a net exporter of crude oil and petroleum products except for petrol.

However, the country would become a net importer by 2011 if domestic demand continued to grow at 6% per annum. If demand grew at a slower pace of 4% per annum, Malaysia would be a net importer by 2014.

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Government Must Raise Livelihood of the People

News analysis by Jagdev Singh Sidhu

THE debate between PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek yesterday highlighted the plight both the people and the Government are going through.

The historic “Today we form the Government, tomorrow the fuel prices will go down” debate focused on the debilitating impact high oil prices has on people and government coffers.

The points brought up by Anwar and Shabery show the contrasting stance and choices before the Government and its people.

Both speakers put forth their arguments with Anwar voicing the fiscal strain on the man in the street since the hike in petrol prices, and Shabery saying why the tough decision of cutting the oil subsidy had to be made for the future of the country.

It was a subject that is, in essence, too partisan.

And for an economy like Malaysia, the fact people are now feeling a severe pinch from high oil - and let us not forget food - prices, may be a symptom of other real challenges that are churning in the background.

Half of Malaysian households earn less RM3,000 a month, which in today's high price environment is a tough pay packet to live on.

One explanation why salaries have been kept low has been the low wage model the country pursued to give employment to the people of the country and to help the economy progress onto the industrialisation path.

Sadly, rumblings among the people now give credence that this wage model may have outlived its usefulness, especially in these high price days.

Something has to be done by the Government to raise the livelihood of Malaysians beyond the promise of employment.

For the Government, subsidies are part of its arsenal in maintaining a low-cost environment for its citizens and businesses to operate in. But soaring global oil prices have capped the limit of government coffers and escalating prices in food and other materials meant that the Government too had tough decisions to make.

Choices had to be made as the cost of pursuing projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan has soared along with the prices of steel and cement.

The fact that the development budget had to be raised and projects streamlined show how much costlier running a Government has become.

Maintaining the oil subsidy will cost the Government dearly and, although the Government can afford to maintain subsidies with Malaysia being an net oil exporter, it can only do so for a limited amount of time as the country does not have huge oil and gas reserves.

To put this in perspective, if every Malaysian consumes 200 litres of fuel a month, the reserves will last us for the next 13 years.

Given that the country expects to pump oil for the next 22 years, something has to be done now to utilise the money for productive purposes, meaning putting into place measures that will lead to greater economic prosperity down the road.

Source: The Star

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The Gayest Jean Claude Van Damme Pictures of All Time


via Attu

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Thumbs-up from Opposition and BN

THE debate between Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek on Tuesday night was a good start for Malaysian politics, Liew Chin Tong (DAP – Bukit Bendera) said.

“We should proceed with more debates. Politics will then be about an exchange of ideas and not an exchange of raw power,” he said at Parliament House yesterday.

Liew praised Ahmad Shabery for his courage in taking up the debate but said Anwar seemed to have had the upper hand in terms of content.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abd Aziz said it was up to the audience to rate the debate.

When asked if he was prepared to take on Anwar, Nazri said he had no problem with that because he had debated DAP veterans Karpal Singh and Lim Kit Siang.

“Who is Anwar? I have no problem,” he said when met at the Parliament lobby.

Razali Ibrahim (BN – Muar) said the debate proved to be a new paradigm and people took it with an open mind.

“We can continue to have such debates. It is an eye-opener and going to be a norm to debate in such manner,” he said.

Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed (BN – Pulai) said he felt that Ahmad Shabery did better.

He said Umno was now experiencing a new beginning where young leaders could come forward to confront a seasoned politician like Anwar.

K. Devamany (BN – Cameron Highlands) said the debate was fair and that Ahmad Shabery did better.

“Anwar was using it as a platform to get the people’s sympathy by talking about his upcoming political contest and that he is unsure about his own political future,” he said.

PKR vice-president Azmin Ali said the debate was a good example of democracy and congratulated the Information Ministry for allowing it.

“Hopefully, last night’s debate was an opportunity for Datuk Seri Anwar to stress on the mechanism of how fuel prices could be reduced if Pakatan Rakyat formed the federal government,” he said.

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim (PKR – Bandar Tun Razak) said more debates ought to be encouraged.

“Anwar was better at economic policy while Shabery was better at politics and public policy,” he said.

Lim Kit Siang (DAP – Ipoh Timur) said Anwar had the upper hand and put up a convincing case during the debate.

“It was not a disaster for Shabery but there is no doubt as to who is the winner,” he said.

Source: The Star

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Husband, Wife, Bed, Book....

There was this couple in bed one night. The wife had curled up ready for sleep and the husband put his bed lamp on and read a book. As he was reading he stopped and reached over to his wife and started fondling with her pussy. He did this only for a very short while then stopped and went back to reading his book.

The wife then got up and started stripping off in front of him. The husband was confused and asked, “What are doing taking all your gear off?”

The wife replied, “You were playing with my pussy. I thought it was foreplay for something a bit heavier.”

The husband said, “No, not at all.”

The wife then asked,” Well, what were you doing then?”

“Oh”, he said, “I was just wetting my fingers so I could turn the pages in my book!”

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TV Host Tries Again to get RM5.5m for Broken Promise

PUTRAJAYA (The Star): A television hostess is trying to get the court to hear her suit against a businessman for not paying her an agreed compensation of RM5.5mil after he broke his promise to marry her.

TV3 personality Maria Tunku Sabri, 38, had filed her suit for breach of contract against businessman Datuk Wan Johani Wan Hussin, 55, in August 2004 but a High Court deputy registrar struck it out in February 2007.

Her appeal against the decision was also dismissed by High Court judge Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat in May the same year.

The judge, in dismissing the appeal, had held that the plaintiff's claim was intertwined with the issue of betrothal, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Syariah Court as both parties were Muslims.

However, Maria's counsel Karpal Singh is arguing otherwise, saying the issue in question was not that of a betrothal but that of an agreement the two parties had entered into.

In the agreement dated March 10, 2004, Wan Johani had agreed to pay Maria RM5.5mil in return for her not taking any legal action against him after he broke his promise to marry her.

To date, the defendant had yet to honour the agreement.

In her suit, Maria, well known as the hostess of the TV3 show Jalan Jalan Cari Makan, is seeking the RM5.5mil with interest and costs.

At the Court of Appeal yesterday, Wan Johani's counsel Anthony Gomez contended that the agreement itself was illegal because the plaintiff, being a married woman, was not permitted under the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territory) Act 1984 to marry another man.

Karpal Singh rebutted saying that his client's marital status as well as the issue of illegality had not been raised in the defendant's pleadings and as such, these could not be relied upon under the law.

When Gomez pointed out that it had been raised in his client's affidavit, Karpal Singh again rebutted saying affidavits were not substitutes for pleadings.

Justices James Foong, Abdull Hamid Embong and Sulaiman Daud reserved their judgment to a date yet to be fixed.


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Debate has taken democracy a step forward, says Shabery

KUALA LUMPUR (The Star): The first-of-its-kind live public debate on the fuel price between Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek and Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has brought Malaysian democracy forward and should be part of Malaysian politics.

Ahmad Shabery who said this, also hoped public debate would be an institutionalised part of Malaysian politics in the future.

“It is not a question of who won or lost, but that there was a platform to put our views forward,” Ahmad Shabery.

He said this would mean that the people would not look at politicians based on material things , but based on their ideas and public relations skills.

Ahmad Shabery said he was satisfied with his performance and had also received many SMS messages.

“Some support me and some are angry at me. But that’s normal,” said Ahmad Shabery who does not mind a return match with Anwar on the same topic.

However, Ahmad Shabery said he did not personally attack the former deputy Prime Minister as claimed.

Ahmad Shabery said what he said about Anwar on Tuesday night’s debate was to criticise Anwar’s policy stance during the financial crisis of 1998.

“What I talked about was really about his policies and his leadership record so as to question his credibility,’’ he said. “I just wanted to strengthen my argument.

“Personal attacks would be more about criticising what he likes, his clothes or his face,” Ahmad Shabery told reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

He said Anwar too personally attacked him when he brought up Semangat 46.

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Business Signs

In a non-smoking area: "If we see you smoking we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action."

At an Optometrist's Office: "If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place."

On a Scientist's door: "Gone Fission"

On the door of a Computer Store: "Out for a quick byte."

In a Podiatrist's window: "Time wounds all heels."

In a Veterinarian's waiting room: "Back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!"

In a Cafeteria: "Shoes are required to eat in the cafeteria. Socks can eat any place they want."

In a Counselor's office: "Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional!"

At a diet center: "It's no accident that stressed spelled backwards is desserts!"

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Govt studying best way to reduce power tariff hikes

By ZULKIFLI ABD RAHMAN


KUALA LUMPUR (The Star): Efforts to reduce energy tariffs must be made with the cooperation between the Government, Tenaga Nasional Bhd, the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and the public, Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor said.

He said the Government was studying the best methods to ensure that all parties contribute and help reduce the power tariff hikes.

"I met some representatives of the IPPs recently, and they expressed their willingness to help the Government tackle the issue of fuel price and power tariff hikes," he told reporters Thursday at his office in Parliament House.

Shaziman said Malaysia's power reserve margin capacity level was not too high at 41%, and plans were underway to reduce this amount to 25% by 2014.

While the 41% reserve margin was seen as too steep by some quarters, Shaziman said this was because the percentage also included the output of nearly half of the country's 14 power producing plants, which were operating beyond their economic life cycles.

The reserve margin would not have reached 35% if the old power plants were excluded from the equation, he added.

He was responding to a question on the fuel price debate between Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday, in which Anwar said that the fuel prices would be reduced by 50 sen per litre if the Pakatan Rakyat came into power.

Anwar said to do this, TNB should reduce its reserve margin from the present 41% to 20%, which would help reduce funds going to the IPPs.

On Anwar's contention that during his tenure as Finance Minister, he and former TNB chairman Tan Sri Dr Ani Arope had opposed the IPPs, Shaziman said he couldn't reply to this because he wasn't a Cabinet minister then.

"If a minister is not agreeable to the idea, he should inform the Cabinet that he doesn't agree," he added.

On another matter, Shaziman said a blueprint on the country's energy policy for the next 10 years was being documented.

The blueprint would enable the Government to plan and promote the usage of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

"We want to look into the potential of hydropower and the possible inclusion of nuclear power as an energy generator," he added.

On a news report which quoted Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng as saying that the reserve margin capacity in Penang was too low at 15% to 20%, Shaziman said it was actually more than 50%.

The national power grid had improved tremendously over the years, so there was no reason for Penang not to be able to carry its development projects, he added.

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How to Make a Woman Happy

It's not difficult to make a woman happy.

A man only needs to be:
1. a friend
2. a companion
3. a lover
4. a brother
5. a father
6. a master
7. a chef
8. an electrician
9. a carpenter
10. a plumber
11. a mechanic
12. a decorator
13. a stylist
14. a sexologist
15. a gynecologist
16. a psychologist
17. a pest exterminator
18. a psychiatrist
19. a healer
20. a good listener
21. an organizer
22. a good father
23. very clean
24. sympathetic
25. athletic
26. warm
27. attentive
28. gallant
29. intelligent
30. funny
31. creative
32. tender
33. strong
34. understanding
35. tolerant
36. prudent
37. ambitious
38. capable
39. courageous
40. determined
41. true
42. dependable
43. passionate
44. compassionate

WITHOUT FORGETTING TO:
45. give her compliments regularly
46. love shopping
47. be honest
48. be very rich
49. not stress her out
50. not look at other girls

AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU MUST ALSO:
51. give her lots of attention, but expect little yourself
52. give her lots of time, especially time for herself
53. give her lots of space, never worrying about where she goes…..

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT:
54. Never to forget:
* birthdays
* anniversaries
* arrangements she makes


HOW TO MAKE A MAN HAPPY:
1. Show up naked…

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The People Won Fuel Debate

The debate showed that both sides of the political divide could come together and discuss matters in an open, civil and rational manner.

CERITALAH: BY KARIM RASLAN

AMID the squalor and unsavouriness of recent political events and Anwar Ibrahim’s sudden arrest, the televised debate on the price of fuel by the PKR advisor and the Information Minister Shabery Cheek stood out as a beacon of where we should be heading as a nation.

As I watched the two men, (ably moderated by Datuk Johan Jaffar) debate, I felt an immense surge of pride for my country: finally, I thought we are beginning to reach a level of maturity where we can discuss and argue through issues of the day.

For too long we’ve been told that we cannot manage the discourse; that Malaysians will flare up, be overly emotional and riot. Apparently, we are a little better than small children whilst our political class is of course, beyond reproach – believe that and you’ll believe anything. Indeed, we want more openness – in our politics, our media and our government.

And for those in Umno who shirk the engagement with their political counterparts – shame on you. Shabery has shown rare courage and intelligence under fire. That he – a junior minister – was left to tackle Anwar (an acknowledged political giant) alone, reflects the enduring spirit of Umno’s younger leaders and a great deal – mostly negative – about the party’s grandees for whom public-speaking is a one-way process: we, the people listen as they lecture us.

The debate showed that both sides of the political divide could come together and discuss in an open, civil and rational manner. Frankly, this fact far outweighs whatever arguments the two men put forward on the oil price hike.

I would like to think that Malaysia has reached another milestone. The clock cannot and should not be turned back on media freedoms – the next target must be the invidious Printing and Publications Act.

Despite, or perhaps because of recent rumblings that ordinary Malaysians were “sick of politics”, both Anwar and Shabery chose to focus on the issue at hand and keep rhetoric to a minimum.

The Information Minister acquitted himself very well, and one dares say surprised many Malaysians who had grown used to Cabinet members embarrassing themselves on the public stage.

Shabery was well prepared and blessedly free of the elitist cadences that make listening to Malaysian grandees so dreary. Shabery has definitely raised the bar for his Cabinet colleagues.

We will now expect to see Prime Minister and his deputy, not to mention the rest of the Cabinet in similar encounters. The pressure of accountability and openness will be intense and continuous.

It will not let up. But remember if you treat us – the media – with contempt you are essentially broadcasting your contempt and disdain for the people who read our papers, internet sites and watch our TV news broadcasts.

However, if our leaders refuse to brave the gauntlet of public opinion the people’s scepticism and distrust will only increase. Of course the debate wasn’t without its nasty undercurrents as both men traded barbed comments about one another. But this is politics and underhanded behaviour is to be expected. Still, the debate was extremely civil in the main.

Anwar was at all times cool, calm and collected despite his looming legal troubles, and chose to focus on hard facts – or at least his version of the facts. The PKR advisor’s courage, however, in facing the public despite the allegations against him must be saluted.

Should the latest sex scandal prove to be the ultimate undoing of Anwar and his Pakatan Rakyat coalition, the debate takes on an added aura – bathos even – for it may well be the swan-song of perhaps one of the most charismatic (and yet divisive) politicians ever to have graced the Malaysian stage.


It is unproductive for us to speculate on which man was the “winner” of the debate. The very fact that such a debate could happen, I repeat, renders such technicalities moot. But then again, perhaps the debate will go down in history as a fitting denouement for the end of our fractious politics and the birth of a new brand of public service.

The ultimate winner of the night may well be Malaysia and her people.

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Is This For Real ? (Comment by Marina Mahathir)

Repeat of 2004 Election Results Possible, says PM

By V.P. SUJATA

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has confidence that Malaysians can help Barisan Nasional win big in the next general election similar to the 2004 historical victory.

He also stated that the disastrous results of the March election was a blessing in disguise, adding that there was a lesson to be learnt from it all.

He suggested that if Malaysians could change their attitude and refuse to be beaten, repeating the historical 2004 general elections results was possible.

"I'm used to making history that leaders before me had not achieved.

"The 2004 general election was the best but the 2008 result was the worst which no leader before me had achieved," he said.

Together with positive thinking, he said, the implementation of objectives should also be in order to succeed.

"There are always challenges and lessons. Losing does not matter; there is a blessing behind all these.

"Don't poison our minds with ideas that kill initiatives and make us lose confidence in ourselves; think that we can do it and we will succeed," he said Saturday when addressing thousands of people from over 80 non-governmental organisations who came in droves to show support for Abdullah here.

He received a memorandum from the NGOs promising support for his leadership as well as a compact disc of a song dedicated to him sung by Jamaludin Elias better known as Nash who is also a member of the event's organising committee.

Abdullah also suggested that Malaysians upgrade their standard of living, adding that there were many opportunities to develop and progress. (how to change our lifestyles and also upgrade our standard of living???)

He believed that he could help Malaysians, particularly the Malays, adopt a change of attitude and work towards progress.

He said three or four years before former Umno president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad retired, the latter had apologised in a party meeting stating that he could make many changes but not change the attitude of his race.

"Deep down I had told myself that if I am destined to be the next leader, I would work towards that," he said.

He told the people that one had to change and want to succeed while emulating the struggles of the disabled to live. (sorry??)

Abdullah reiterated the importance of rural youngsters to remain in villages and implement agriculture projects instead of going to big cities in search of wealth but had ended up living in squatters and becoming "Mat Rempit". (So they should all become farmers? I thought there are children of farmers who went to the cities and became successful as well?)

"Lots of people have questioned why I gave importance to agriculture at a time when the world was thinking of technology but today the food issue has become serious," he said.

Abdullah ended his speech with three shouts of "Hidup Malaysia" and the people replied with "Hidup Pak Lah."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


OK, I've heard of people in denial but this is ridiculous!

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Idiots

Please click image to enlarge.

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Most Expensive Celebrity Baby Photos


#1 (RUMORED) -More than $11 million – Knox Leon & Vivienne Marcheline (Brad Pitt / Angelina Jolie)

According to the AP, the first pictures of the newborn twins to Angelina Jolie
and Brad Pitt are reportedly worth more than $11 million dollars, with some
speculating $15 to $20 million.


#2 - $6 million – Max & Emme Anthony (Jennifer Lopez / Marc Anthony)

#3 - $4.1 million – Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt (Angelina Jolie / Brad Pitt)

#4 - $3 million – Levi Alves McConaughey (Matthew McConaughey) ** Does this count? They also gave the rights to first Christmas and wedding.

#5 - $2 million – Dannielynn Smith (Anna Nicole Smith)

To see the rest of the list, visit Access Hollywood.

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Mental Hospital Phone Menu

Hello and thank you for calling The State Mental Hospital.

Please select from the following options menu:

If you are obsessive-compulsive, press 1 repeatedly.

If you are co-dependent , please ask someone to press 2 for you.

If you have multiple personalities, press 3, 4, 5 and 6.

If you are paranoid, we know who you are and what you want, stay on the line so we can trace your call.

If you are delusional , press 7 and your call will be forwarded to the Mother Ship.

If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a little voice will tell You which number to press.

If you are manic-depressive, hang up. it doesn't matter which number you press, nothing will make you happy anyway.

If you are dyslexic, press 9-6-9-6.

If you are bipolar, please leave a message after the beep or before the beep or after the beep. But Please wait for the beep.

If you have short-term memory loss press 9. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9.

If you have low self-esteem, please hang up. Our operators are
too busy to talk with you.

If you are menopausal, put the gun down, hang up, turn on the
fan, lie down and cry. You won't be crazy forever.

If you are blonde, don't press any buttons. You'll just mess it up.

This coming week is National Mental Health Care week. You can do your part by remembering to contact at least one unstable person to show you care.

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What Will Disney Say About This One?

Disney keeps forgetting that their stars eventually grow up and become
teenagers... which means it isn't going to be all roses and pixie dusts for their PR people.

Vanessa Hudgens is young and in love. Lucky for her, her boyfriend Zach Efron feels the same way.

Click here to read more about this High School Musical couple's vacation on the beach in Turks and Caicos.

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Don't Cry



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Shabery Defines What's "Personal Attack"

Information Minister Shabery Cheek has denied making personal attacks on Anwar Ibrahim in the televised debate.

Replying to critics, he said he had not taken pot shots at Anwar:

"I only criticized his policy stance during the 1997 financial crisis when he was the deputy prime minister. I talked about his policies and leadership record when questioning his credibility to strengthen my arguments.

“I just wanted to strengthen my argument," Shabery said (ref: TheStar)

"Personal attacks will be more about criticizing his face, his clothes or his preferences," Shabery said at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

Hahaha... today I learn one thing: Personal attacks is about criticizing face, clothes and preferences!!! That's something profound to me!

Now, I can criticize anybody on anything and so long as I don't criticize their face, clothes and preferences on food or clothings.

Shabery said he was satisfied with his performance as he had managed to erase the myth of Anwar being a great orator. He also said he had received hundreds of SMSes congratulating him on his performance at the debate.

And he is going to meet the Prime Minister to evaluate his performance and probably see whether he will get a promotion or recognition.

Asked whether there should be more of such debates, Ahmad Shabery said "It is better than having street demonstrations or inappropriate concerts."

He hoped that it would be an institutionalized part of Malaysian politics in the future.

Source: NST: 'I questioned his policies, not his clothes'

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Anwar vs Shabery Debate Transcript

The entire transcript of the Anwar V Shabery transcript its below courtesy of Wak Sapu. If you missed it or coudnt understand the live version, read the whole thing below. Debate topic :

HARI INI BENTUK KERAJAAN, ESOK TURUN HARGA MINYAK

DEBAT

YB DATO’ AHMAD SHABERY CHEEK
MENTERI PENERANGAN MALAYSIA
&
Y.BHG DATO’ SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM
PENASIHAT PARTI KEADILAN RAKYAT

TAJUK

HARI INI BENTUK KERAJAAN, ESOK TURUN HARGA MINYAK

PERANTARA: Assalamualaikum w.b.t dan salam sejahtera. Debat AgendaDaily ini membawa tajuk ‘Hari Ini Bentuk Kerajaan, Esok Turun Harga Minyak’. Di Balai Budaya Tun Syed Nasir, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, dua orang tokoh kami bawa khas untuk mendebatkannya. Debat ini mengambil masa sejam dan disiarkan secara langsung ke seluruh Negara.

Format debat ini telah dipersetujui oleh kedua-dua pihak. Masing-masing juga telah menamakan seorang wakil yang bertindak sebagai ahli panel. Mereka akan menanyakan soalan kepada pendebat yang mencalonkan mereka selain soalan kepada pendebat yang seorang lagi. Jumlah soalan bergantung kepada keadaan masa. Saya sendiri akan menanyakan soalan kepada kedua-dua pendebat ini. Supaya berlaku adil, soalan yang sama akan ditanya kepada kedua-dua orang. Kedua-dua pendebat juga akan diberi peluang untuk bertanya satu sama lain.

Untuk pemula bicara atau opening statement setiap tokoh akan diberikan masa 4 minit. Loceng akan dibunyikan selepas 3 setengah minit. Setiap soalan lain mesti dijawab dalam masa kurang dari 3 minit atau loceng akan dibunyikan sebagai tanda peringatan. Setiap pendebat akan membuat penggulungan selama 3 minit.

Saudara penonton yang saya hormati sekalian, tugas saya hanyalah sebagai perantara. Maka itu, saya memohon kepada kedua-dua tokoh ini untuk mendebatkan isu ini secara terbuka, profesional dan beretika. Tanpa ragu-ragu, saya akan menegur mana-mana pihak ataupun pendebat yang menyimpang dari tajuk atau yang mengemukakan soal-soal yang tidak relevan dengan apa yang sepatutnya dibahaskan.

Dengan penuh hormat, saya ingin memperkenalkan kedua-dua tokoh pendebat kita malam ini. Di atas pentas itu, YB Dato’ Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Menteri Penerangan Malaysia dan di sebelah beliau ialah Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Penasihat Parti Keadilan Rakyat atau PKR. Dua orang tokoh yang menjadi wakil pendebat ialah di sebelah kanan saya, Tan Sri Datuk Dr Nordin Kardi, Naib Canselor Universiti Utara Malaysia dan Presiden Persatuan Universiti Malaysia dan di sebelah kiri saya, bagi pihak Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Saudara Zulkifli Sulong dari Akhbar Siasah.

Saya mulakan debat AgendaDaily bertajuk ‘Hari Ini Bentuk Kerajaan, Esok Turun Harga Minyak’ dengan mempersilakan Dato’ Seri Anwar untuk membuat opening statement selama 4 minit. Dipersilakan.

DATO’ SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM: Assalamualaikum w.b.t dan salam sejahtera. Terima kasih Datuk Johan dan AgendaDaily atas kesempatan ini. Dan penghargaan khusus kepada Dato’ Ahmad Shabery kerana memberikan ruang yang julung-julung kali diadakan.

Saya menerima pelawaan ini dengan senang hati untuk membuka wacana yang bebas dan segar. Walaupun pada peringkat awal saya memilih untuk berdebat dengan Perdana Menteri atau Timbalan, tetapi saya terima baik kerana saya nak menggunakan kesempatan ini untuk menjelaskan, kalau kesempatan Pakatan Rakyat memerintah hari ini, esok harga minyak tetap turun.

Saya cadangkan, berdasarkan perkiraan kekuatan makro ekonomi negara kita, pertumbuhan dan potensinya, penyusunan dan pengurusan pemerintahan yang lebih cekap dan bebas dari rasuah dan penyalahgunaan kuasa dan jumlah yang kita fikirkan untuk diturunkan dalam kadar segera sebagai langkah awal ialah 50 sen.

Maknanya mulai esok seandainya kita memerintah malam ini, harga minyak ialah RM2.20. Saya pertahankan hujah ini kerana beban rakyat itu sudah tidak terkawal. Petani, nelayan, pekerja, peniaga peringkat menengah dan atasan itu mengalami satu keperitan yang luar biasa. Ini jarang sekali berlaku dalam sejarah Negara kita.

Kenaikan mendadak yang cukup membebankan orang-orang yang majoritinya Melayu lebih banyak menerima kesan. Semua perbicaraan tentang menyelamatkan orang Melayu dan membela nasib orang Melayu itu hanya omongan. Tetapi kenyataannya keperitan itu menimpa orang Melayu, termasuklah bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak.

Bagaimana boleh dapat saya kumpulkan RM5 bilion ini? Saya akan jelaskan dan memperincikan berikutnya. Iaitu TNB sekarang umpamanya mempunyai standby capacity yang berlebihan. Reserve 40%, di antara paling tinggi di dunia. Siapa yang untung? IPP – Jana Kuasa Bebas. Untungnya sudah berbilion ringgit, ada lagi kapasiti yang begitu besar.

Mengapa kita harus berikan? PETRONAS rugi, TNB rugi… yang untung IPP. Dan kapasiti 40% itu saya usulkan untuk dikurangkan standby capacity itu kepada 20%. Dengan mengurangkan kapasiti itu sahaja kita telah mendapat RM2 bilion. Jadi kita kena cari RM3 bilion lagi. PETRONAS hari ini dalam financial announcement menyebut jumlah keuntungan yang besar bagi tahun 2008 yang baru selesai diumumkan hampir RM100 bilion.

Jangan kita bicara soal naik harga minyak. Naik harga minyak di pasaran dunia bermakna pendapatan dan dana Kerajaan bertambah …. meningkat besar. Jadi kalau kita mempunyai keuntungan begitu besar, sebahagiannya untuk PETRONAS dan saya tidak ganggu PETRONAS kerana PETRONAS mempunyai rekod yang cemerlang dan pengurusannya membanggakan. Masalahnya ialah manakala campur tangan politik, pengurusan politik yang sangat lemah membebankan negara.

Jadi oleh yang demikian, saya mengusulkan sebagai langkah awal kita turunkan 50 sen mulai esok. Walaupun sekarang Barisan Nasional memerintah, bermakna ini tidak mungkin. Tetapi kita turunkan 50 sen esok, Insya Allah dan saya akan jelaskan dalam masa yang diberikan nanti bagaimana kita boleh cari RM3 bilion. RM3 bilion ini untuk dana meringankan beban rakyat itu tidak terlalu besar.

Kerugian dan tanggungan PERWAJA sahaja RM13 bilion yang boleh ditampung oleh Kerajaan. Mengapakah harus kita menjadikan isu terlalu besar apabila RM3 bilion itu ingin diagihkan kepada rakyat jelata.

PERANTARA: Terima kasih Dato’ Seri Anwar. Saya mempersilakan YB Dato’ Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

YB DATO’ AHMAD SHABERY CHEEK: Assalamualaikum w.b.t. Saya menerima jemputan AgendaDaily untuk berdebat malam ini atas kesedaran bahawa adalah tanggung jawab saya sebagai orang yang dipilih oleh rakyat dan juga seorang Menteri yang dipilih melalui proses yang sah. Dan saya bertanggung jawab untuk menyatakan bahawa apa-apa tindakan yang dilakukan oleh Kerajaan, inilah cara yang terbaik untuk masa depan negara kita dan masa depan rakyat. Bukan pendekatan populis yang sering dilakukan dalam banyak negara yang tidak semestinya negara itu berakhir dengan keadaan ekonomi yang lebih baik kepada masyarakatnya.

Perlu saya jelaskan di sini bahawa kalaulah dikatakan pada hari ini 50 sen hendak diturunkan, sebenarnya ucapan ini saya dah dengar sebelum pilihan raya yang lepas. Jadi bermakna dia mesti bercakap pada harga sebelum pilihan raya iaitu pada harga RM1.92.

Tentangannya ialah menentang kadar kenaikan harga yang baru-baru ini. Kalau kita teruskan pada harga RM1.92, ini bermakna subsidi yang terpaksa ditanggung oleh Kerajaan ialah sebanyak RM50 bilion. Dan ini bermakna banyak program-program pembangunan, soal sekolah, soal rakyat, soal jalan, soal orang di FELDA, soal orang di kampung tidak dapat dilaksanakan hanya untuk menampung cara hidup yang berterusan yang ada pada hari ini.

Perlu saya jelaskan juga bahawa, kita perlu tahu bahawa kenaikan harga minyak sekarang ini bukanlah kerana kita. Kita mesti sedari hakikat bahawa kita berhadapan dengan krisis minyak seluruh dunia. Harga minyak naik bukan Kerajaan yang salah tetapi ini adalah kerana keadaan kenaikan harga minyak dunia disebabkan perang di Iraq, kemungkinan serangan di Iran, tentang permintaan China dan India yang semakin besar dan faktor-faktor lain yang dirasakan di seluruh dunia.

Dalam sejarah Negara kita, harga minyak dunia ataupun krisis minyak ini bukan kali yang pertama. Kali yang pertama ialah dalam tahun 1973 dan 1974. Pada waktu itu selepas perang Yunkipur atau Perang Ramadhan pada ketika itu, di mana orang-orang Arab – negara-negara Arab berpakat untuk mengenakan tindakan embargo minyak kepada negara-negara yang menyokong Israel pada waktu itu. Pada masa yang sama ia memberhentikan atau mengurangkan pengeluaran minyaknya.

Waktu itu juga, seluruh dunia menghadapi masalah inflasi yang teruk. Harga minyak naik mendadak 400% daripada 10 dolar setong hingga 40 dolar setong dalam masa 6 bulan. Memberikan kesan inflasi yang cukup teruk termasuk dalam Negara kita pada waktu itu. Tetapi saya ingat pada waktu itulah pentingnya, tahun 1974 ialah zaman Tun Razak.

Tun Razak menubuhkan PETRONAS pada waktu itu. Menubuhkan PETRONAS dalam keadaan yang tertekan kerana dunia luar menekan kita jangan ambil hak yang telah diberikan kepada SHELL pada waktu itu. SHELL telah diberikan oleh British sebelum meninggalkan negara kita. Kita tubuh PETRONAS pada waktu itu dan ia bukanlah satu perkara yang mudah.

Sebab itulah pada waktu itu seluruh rakyat bersatu menyokong Tun Razak. Pada waktu itu polls khas menyokong Tun Razak. Pada waktu itu juga banyak parti-parti lain menyokong Tun Razak. Saya ingat pada waktu itu Saudara Anwar memilih untuk memalukan Tun Razak, berarak di jalan raya mengajak mahasiswa dan sebagainya.

Seperti dulu dan seperti hari ini, rakyat memang sempit tetapi saya melihat sama seperti dulu, Saudara Anwar suka mengambil kesempatan daripada kesempitan rakyat. Sebab itulah kita katakan bahawa, memberikan minyak yang murah bukan penyelesaiannya. Banyak negara ……. terima kasih.

PERANTARA: Terima kasih Dato Seri dan terima kasih Dato’. Kita masuk kepada pusingan yang kedua. Ini merupakan soalan saya yang saya tujukan kepada kedua-dua tokoh ini. Soalan saya ialah, pada masa ini PETRONAS hanya menguasai kira-kira 40% pasaran runcit petroleum. Sekiranya subsidi yang besar diberikan, maknanya Kerajaan juga harus menanggung subsidi untuk beberapa syarikat minyak raksasa yang ada di negara ini termasuk EXXON Mobil dan SHELL. Apa komen pendebat? Saya mulakan dengan Dato’ Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

YB DATO’ AHMAD SHABERY CHEEK: Kita mesti mengakui bahawa kaedah subsidi adalah kaedah yang tidak boleh bertahan lama. Banyak subsidi ertinya kita mesti mengakui akan memberi kesan pertumbuhan ekonomi yang sebenarnya.

Kalau kita terus memberi subsidi yang banyak, kita akan mewujudkan satu keadaan bahawa wang Negara yang sepatutnya dilaburkan untuk kepentingan rakyat, untuk sekolah, untuk hospital dan sebagainya terpaksa digunakan hanya untuk menampung subsidi minyak yang sebahagiannya akan digunakan oleh orang-orang yang sudah kaya, yang sudah mempunyai kenderaan yang besar termasuk orang-orang dari luar negara. S

ebab itulah kita katakan di sini bahawa kalau kita terus memberi subsidi sebagaimana yang disebutkan tadi, ada syarikat-syarikat seperti EXXON Mobil, seperti SHELL dan sebagainya yang turut mendapat faedah daripada wang rakyat. Dalam soal ini, kenapa tidak kita berikan wang tersebut terus kepada rakyat dan ini yang dibuat oleh kebanyakan negara-negara maju yang lain.

Kalau disebutkan tadi kerana pengurusan yang tidak cekap, kerana ada rasuah dan sebagainya. Kita tanya Norway, Finland, tanya negara-negara maju yang lain yang dikatakan paling kurang rasuah, mereka juga tidak subsidi dan mereka telah menunjukkan prestasi ekonomi yang lebih baik dan Malaysia juga harus menuju ke arah itu.

PERANTARA : Dato’ Seri Anwar.

DATO’ SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM: Debat ini masalah minyak, bukan Anwar dan Shabery. Oleh yang demikian, saya tidak memilih untuk menyentuh beliau walaupun beliau tokoh Semangat 46 dahulu. Itu tak apa.

Soalnya saudara, kita nak banding dengan Norway, pendapatan per kapita Norway 10 kali lebih daripada Malaysia. Kita bicara soal harga minyak ini, keperitan rakyat, petani, nelayan dan pekerja yang miskin. Jadi kalau kita nak bandingkan dengan kedudukan negara industri yang capai tahap yang baik, ini agak sukar. Nisbah dan basis perbandingan itu meleset sama sekali.

Saudara, soal minyak, soal bantuan, meredakan keperitan rakyat ini tanggung jawab mana-mana pemerintah. Lebih ramai orang miskin, lebih rakyat terpinggir, baik Melayu atau bumiputera Sabah, Sarawak atau segelintir Cina dan masyarakat India di estet, itu tanggung jawab kita. Soalnya, menaikkan kadar minyak dengan mendadak begini, cukup membebankan. Dan kalau pemimpin-pemimpin UMNO dan Barisan Nasional sampai hari ini tidak sedar, saya fikir masa depan parti itu tidak begitu cemerlang lagi. Orang tidak akan yakin.

Saudara, ini realitinya. Saudara tahu, berapa ramai jumlah pengangguran? Itu akan saya sentuh. Sebab itu prinsip subsidi, bila nak tolong orang miskin, subsidi. Bagaimana tentang prasarana infrastruktur, berpuluh bilion ringgit yang disediakan untuk pedagang-pedagang untuk industri? Untuk pelabuhan? Bukankah itu bentuk subsidi?

Prasarana disediakan dengan jumlah yang besar, kita sebut insentif. Tolong rakyat miskin dengan subsidi minyak kita panggil subsidi. Jumlah nak tampung kerugian PERWAJA saya sebut tadi, dan MAS dan pelbagai bail-out , kita sebut bail-out, bantuan menyelamatkan ekonomi. Nak bantu nelayan, petani dan Melayu miskin namanya subsidi. Dan subsidi itu namanya cukup negatif dan busuk sekali. Saya tidak setuju.

Saya anggap tanggung jawab kita dalam mana-mana negara. Kita ada dana. Keuntungan PETRONAS, tak sentuh bahan sektor yang diperoleh daripada PETRONAS, itu perlu untuk pelaburan dan sebagainya. Ini soal dana yang besar yang diperoleh oleh Kerajaan. Memang betul untuk sekolah, tapi kalau kita ambil berbilion dari rakyat kemudian kita tingkatkan bangunkan sekolah, tanggung jawab dan boleh kita sentuh dalam round kedua. Insya Allah.

PERANTARA: Baik, terima kasih Dato’ Seri Anwar. Demikian saudara penonton sekalian, berakhirnya segmen pertama debat AgendaDaily ini. Kita akan bertemu lagi selepas pesanan iklan ringkas ini. Jangan ke mana-mana

PERANTARA: Saudara penonton yang saya hormati sekalian, kita sedang mengikuti Debat AgendaDaily mempertemukan YB Dato’ Shabery Cheek dengan Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim yang membawa judul ‘Hari Ini Bentuk Kerajaan, Esok Turun Harga Minyak’. Kita sampai pada pusingan ketiga sekarang, saya mempersilakan wakil Dato’ Ahmad Shabery bertanyakan soalan kepada Dato’ Seri Anwar. Silakan Tan Sri.

TAN SRI DATUK DR NORDIN KARDI: Terima kasih Pengerusi. Sebelum saya mengemukakan soalan yang terbuka, saya ingin terlebih dahulu mendapatkan komitmen yang diucapkan oleh Dato’ Seri tadi, iaitu premis kepada cadangan apabila memerintah hari ini besok harga minyak akan turun 50 sen, bukan kerana Malaysia adalah negara pengeluar minyak, ya atau tidak?

DATO’ SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM: Ya, Malaysia ialah negara pengeksport minyak.

TAN SRI DATUK DR NORDIN KARDI: Kerana Malaysia negara pengeksport minyak, itu sebabnya cadangan ini dikemukakan?

DATO’ SERI ANWAR: Ya.

TAN SRI DATUK DR NORDIN KARDI: Jadi apabila cadangan ini dikemukakan sedangkan dalam hujah telah menyentuh perkara-perkara lain yang bukan berkaitan dengan minyak iaitu yang berkaitan dengan IPP dan sebagainya. Jadi saya merasai …..

DATO’ SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM: IPP itu ada hubungan minyak dengan gas.

TAN SRI DATUK DR NORDIN KARDI: Premis itu sudah bercampur-campur, jadi saya suka menyebut beberapa angka iaitu hasil ataupun revenue daripada minyak. Mengikut laporan tahunan yang telah diumumkan ialah RM223 bilion.

Dan daripada RM223 bilion ini yang merupakan hasil daripada minyak yang dikorek daripada Malaysia ialah 26% iaitu RM56 bilion, sedangkan PETRONAS telah mengembalikan wang sebanyak RM63 bilion, bermakna melebihi daripada duit minyak yang diperoleh daripada urus niaga minyak Malaysia sebanyak RM5 bilion lebih.

Jadi dengan demikian, seolah-olah apabila wang ini dilaburkan semula untuk perkembangan ekonomi, dan apabila Dato’ Seri memerintah hari ini, besok akan menurunkan harga minyak, Seolah-olah Dato’ Seri seumpama seorang anak yang telah kematian bapa akan membahagi-bahagikan harta ini yang telah dikumpulkan hasil keringat orang terdahulu, untuk mendapatkan keseronokan di kalangan kawan-kawan bahawa Dato’ Seri adalah pemimpin yang baik.

DATO’ SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM: Terima kasih. Terima kasih atas ucapan pengulas. Saya fikir dia nak tanya soalan. Tapi mungkin kaunseling punya pengaruh.

Basic, pengetahuan basic bila kita sebut industri petroleum itu, termasuk minyak dan gas. Patut dapat taklimat awal. Tapi kalau yang disebut oleh PETRONAS ini, keuntungan besar dari pelaburan PETRONAS dan PETRONAS ini walaupun termasuk dalam di antara 100 syarikat minyak terbaik, tapi dari segi keuntungan termasuk di antara yang ke 10 terbaik.

Dan keuntungan ini ialah kerana operasi kebanyakannya itu dalam negara dan sebahagian kecil di luar. Dan dalam polisi kita tentunya kita menggalakkan PETRONAS untuk terus melabur sebahagian pendapatannya. Sebab itu kita tidak menyentuh dana yang diperoleh oleh PETRONAS. Kita nak menyentuh dana yang dipulangkan kepada Kerajaan kerana PETRONAS ini milik dan khazanah Negara. Berhak untuk rakyat, anak ni maknanya anak kita semua, itu hak mereka.

Jadi sebenarnya soal nak menyatakan pendekatan populis atau tidak, ya. Kita dalam pemerintahan ini nak jaga siapa? Nak jaga tauke besar dan kroni? Atau nak jaga rakyat? Kita jaga semua. Jadi oleh yang demikian, saya tekankan jumlah yang kita sebutkan 50 sen itu bukan jumlah yang keterlaluan. 50 sen turun, langkah awal.

Memang Dato’ Shabery, dia menyentuh … memang saya janji lebih, memang itu saya sebut itu langkah awal. Sebab apa saya nak menyebut langkah awal, sebab kekacauan, kemusnahan ekonomi, kerosakan akibat kenaikan mendadak keterlaluan, kerana naik begitu mendadak keterlaluan, tidak ada yang sokong, yang sokong hanya Ahli Parlimen Barisan Nasional. Kerana naik keterlaluan, kita terpaksa menurunkan ikut peringkat. Saya mengambil satu pendekatan bertanggung jawab, kalau benar populis saya umumkan saja, kita turunkan RM1 atau RM1.50, apa salahnya. Tetapi saya terpaksa mempertahankan dengan hujah dengan angka RM2 bilion selamat dari…… saya sambung kemudian.

PERANTARA: Saya mempersilakan Saudara Zulkifli Sulong untuk bertanyakan soalan kepada Dato’ Ahmad Shabery.

SAUDARA ZULKIFLI SULONG: Assalamualaikum Dato’ Ahmad Shabery. Pada tahun 2006 lalu, Kerajaan telah menaikkan harga minyak sebanyak 30 sen. Hasilnya Kerajaan telah dapat jimat kira-kira RM4.3 bilion dahulu. Kerajaan berjanji ia akan digunakan untuk pengangkutan awam. Mengikut jawapan di Parlimen baru-baru ini, Kerajaan baru belanjakan RM834.72 juta sahaja, untuk prasarana pengangkutan awam sejak dari tarikh itu.

Kenapa perkara ini berlaku? Kerana dengan kenaikan ini pula, Kerajaan boleh jimatkan RM13 bilion. Jika RM4.3 bilion yang kita jimatkan dahulu itu sukar untuk dibelanjakan, sehingga kini tidak dapat nampak hasilnya tentang pengangkutan awam yang dijanjikan. Apakah yang akan berlaku dengan penjimatan yang agak besar yang akan kita hapuskan?

DATO’ AHMAD SHABERY CHEEK: Terima kasih Saudara Zul. Sebenarnya Saudara mungkin tidak ikut perkembangan harga minyak agaknya. Pada waktu itu 70 dolar, sekarang 140 dolar. Senanglah nak cakap turun, siapa pun boleh, kalau tak memerintah. Saya duduk pembangkang mudah hendak cakap. Bagi free pun boleh.

Tetapi kita mesti bertanggung jawab dalam soal ini. Kita tengok dalam dunia sekarang ini pun, pertamanya kita perhatikan, dalam dunia sekarang ini, semua negara yang murah harga minyaknya, Venezuela paling murah, 10 sen sahaja. Saya baru ke sana minggu lepas. Tetapi inflasinya berapa? 30%, yang terburuk dalam negara Latin Amerika. Iran inflasinya yang ke 8 terburuk dalam dunia sekarang. Itu negara yang murah.

Kerana dalam masa yang sama kita kena ingat, bahawa harga minyak bukan sekadar menyebabkan harga minyak sahaja naik, tetapi bukan sahaja harga barang, tetapi termasuk krisis makanan.

Sekarang ini kalau kita tengok, negara kita mampu untuk mengatasi krisis makanan sekarang ini malahan kalau kita tengok beras kita lebih murah daripada beras Thailand. Ini antara bukti kemampuan kita mengatasi makanan. Sebab itulah kita katakan bahawa ianya hanya dapat diimbangi dengan cara sistem subsidi yang betul dan kita tidak perlu berarak di jalan raya.

Alhamdulillahlah kita dapat bersama hari ini, tidak berarak di jalan raya atau pun buat konsert yang tidak senonoh seperti baru-baru ini. Kita dapat berbincang dengan yang baik dalam keadaan sekarang ini.

PERANTARA: Sekarang saya akan minta supaya Saudara Zul menanyakan soalan kepada Dato’ Seri Anwar, silakan.

SAUDARA ZULKIFLI SULONG: Dato’ Seri, bercakap soal minyak ini, ia adalah harta masa depan kita. Seingat saya semasa Dato’ Seri menjadi Menteri Kewangan dahulu, Dato’ Seri pernah menubuhkan Tabung Warisan. Dan apa sebenarnya dalam pemikiran Dato’ Seri ketika itu, jika kita kaitkan dengan isu minyak yang juga harta rakyat masa depan sekarang ini?

PERANTARA : Silakan.

DATO’ SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM: Dua Kumpulan Wang Amanah yang penting ialah Kumpulan Amanah Pencen dan Negara yang melibatkan kepentingan heritage. Kerana pada masa itu kita ada belanjawan lebihan, tidak macam sekarang deposit teruk. Masa itu kalau belanjawan lebihan, kita kumpulkan supaya kita simpan sebahagian daripada dana yang diberikan PETRONAS dan lebihan itu untuk masa depan Negara.

Malangnya, perkara itu tidak dikembangkan dan dana simpanan itu masih di peringkat yang dianggap agak kecil. Tetapi dalam isu minyak ini, kita tidak boleh kaitkan semata-mata dengan harga global. Kalau kita sebut Venezuela, Iran, benar inflasinya agak naik sedikit, tapi kalau kita kira inflasi yang disebut oleh Kerajaan.

Cuba pergi kedai beli ikan ke, bawang ke, ayam ke, ianya tidak naik 3%. Angka terakhir yang disebut oleh Gabenor Bank Negara 6% lebih. Semua bank sebut lebih 8%. Maknanya kebijakan ekonomi yang diumumkan menyebabkan inflasi melonjak tinggi kerana kenaikan itu pada tahap yang singkat terlalu tinggi menyebabkan kesan sampingan harga barang meningkat.

Jadi keprihatinan Pak Menteri meniaga barang di inflasi itu bercanggah dengan keputusan yang dibuat oleh Kerajaan. Naik minyak mendadak, inflasi tidak akan naik. Itu teori ekonomi siapa yang mengajar begitu?

Kenaikan yang mendadak, kenaikan barang termasuk minyak bila mendadak begitu akan membawa kesan yang parah. Kita sebut harga minyak global, memang benar. Harga minyak global meningkat tinggi tetapi setiap 1 dolar Amerika naik dengan pengeluaran minyak di Malaysia, kita peroleh RM360 juta.

Jadi naik harga minyak itu pulangan besar kepada kita. Ini hendak merunsingkan orang kampung, harga minyak global naik, di London, di Paris, di China, di India naik. Kita pengeluar minyak, memang naik berbanding 10 tahun lalu, tetapi tidak boleh bebankan rakyat dan yang saya nak tekankan sekarang ini, kenaikan begini menyebabkan ekonomi kian meleset.

PERANTARA: Saya mempersilakan Tan Sri Datuk Dr Nordin Kardi untuk menanyakan soalan kepada Dato’ Ahmad Shabery.

TAN SRI DATUK DR NORDIN KORDI: Tadi saya telah menanyakan komitmen Dato’ Seri Anwar tentang adakah premis kepada penurunan harga minyak 50 sen itu kerana Malaysia adalah pengeluaran minyak. Selepas kita bacakan data bahawa sumbangan minyak dalam negara hanya 26%. Saya melihat bahawa isu yang dicadangkan oleh Dato’ Seri Anwar bukan isu minyak lagi tetapi memilih minyak sebagai sasaran untuk dikurangkan kepada 50 sen.

Tetapi mengapa tidak misalnya oleh kerana ia bukan semata-mata isu minyak bercakap mengenai pengurangan cukai seperti mana Kerajaan telah tidak mengenakan cukai kepada mereka berpendapatan di bawah RM2,000, mengapa tidak misalnya memberi bantuan sewa rumah kepada mereka yang miskin tinggal di bandar, tetapi mengapa memilih minyak, mengapa agaknya Dato’ Seri Anwar tidak berjanji untuk mengurangkan inflasi seperti katanya 80% kepada 30%. Jadi soalan saya kepada Dato’ Shabery ialah mengapa agaknya Dato’ Seri memilih minyak sebagai sasaran janji kepada rakyat apabila memerintah esok. Terima kasih.

YB DATO’ AHMAD SHABERY CHEEK: Saya rasa soalan ditanya kepada saya kerana merasakan banyak premis yang salah tadi. Kita bercakap tentang kita ini sebagai negara pengeluar minyak. Saya hendak tanya, kita ini negara pengeluar minyak nombor berapa dalam dunia? nombor 1 hingga 20? Kita nombor berapa?

Tidak masuk pun. nombor 21 pun tidak. Kita kecil, jangan bandingkan dengan Arab Saudi, jangan bandingkan dengan Venezuela, jangan bandingkan dengan Iran, jangan banding dengan tempat lain. Kita kecil sangat, itu pun minyak kita telah diambil 100 tahun lamanya dan kita telah sampai ke peringkat penghujung. Kita masih nett exporter tetapi nett exporter yang kecil. Kita kena tahu dalam soal ini.

Dan kemudiannya dari segi keuntungan daripada minyak kita tidak benar tadi, sebenarnya hanya 26% daripada keuntungan yang disebabkan oleh PETRONAS hari ini, 26% hasil daripada minyak dalam negeri yang lain itu adalah pelaburan. Kalau kita kata tahun 2015 nanti waktu kita sudah tidak ada minyak, apakah waktu itu kita telah menjadi nett importer pada waktu tersebut. Apakah pada waktu itu kita baru hendak mengikut harga dunia, kalau orang hendak jual minyak pada kita waktu itu.

Kalau tidak jual bagaimana? Sebab itulah tanggung jawab PETRONAS dengan keuntungan yang ada walau sudah banyak diberikan kepada negara sepatutnya cari minyak di luar negara dan terima kasih di bawah Dato’ Seri Mahathir misalnya, sampai ke 33 buah negara yang dia terokai, PETRONAS kita sehingga kita menjadi salah sebuah negara yang mempunyai sebuah syarikat minyak antara yang ternama dalam dunia sekarang ini. Sebab itulah kita rasakan jangan menyebabkan PETRONAS menjadi lebih miskin dalam soal ini. Kita mestilah realistik, minyak kita bukanlah minyak yang banyak sangat, mungkin minyak urut, minyak atar tidak tahulah dalam soal ini.

PERANTARA: Terima kasih, kita akan pergi kepada soalan cepumas. Saya akan minta Dato’ Seri Anwar menanyakan satu soalan kepada Dato’ Ahmad Shabery dan kemudian Dato’ Ahmad Shabery akan menanyakan satu soalan kepada Dato’ Seri Anwar. Saya mulakan dengan Dato’ Seri Anwar menanyakan soalan kepada Dato’ Ahmad Shabery.

DATO’ SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM : Saudara Shabery, siapa yang bandingkan Malaysia dengan Venuezela dan Iran? Harganya 10 sen, 15 sen, 16 sen? Soalnya, kita bandingkan Malaysia sebagai negara pengeksport minyak, dan kita telah bagi perkiraan bahawa kenaikan yang mendadak itu membebankan rakyat dan menyebabkan kemerosotan, kemelesetan ekonomi negara.

Jadi kalau ini diketahui, mengapa Kerajaan setelah berjanji untuk tidak menaikkan minyak sebelum pilihan raya, dalam tempoh beberapa bulan sahaja telah memungkiri janji, mengkhianati janji dan menaikkan harga minyak yang membebankan rakyat dan mengatakan kita ambil dari dana PETRONAS? Siapa yang kata kita ambil dari dana PETRONAS? Saya kata kita jimatkan belanja, kita betulkan perjanjian kita dengan IPP dan kapasiti lebihan dan kita ambil dari dana Kerajaan yang bocor begitu banyak termasuk rasuah yang disebut Morgan Standly kehilangan RM300 bilion dan RM10 bilion.

Jadi saudara, saya cuma hendak sebutkan begitu, mengapa gunakan media termasuk media rasmi sebagai amanah memutar belitkan kenyataan kita? Kenyataan kita ialah mengapa kenaikan yang begitu mendadak dan membebankan? Dan mengapa kita tidak boleh mengurus sumber khazanah yang kita miliki untuk meringankan bebanan rakyat dan memajukan pertumbuhan ekonomi dengan meyakinkan?

PERANTARA: Terima kasih, saya minta Dato’ Ahmad Shabery jawab.

YB DATO’ AHMAD SHABERY CHEEK: Saya kira ini sekali lagi ucapan yang populis sifatnya. Seolah-olah menafikan bahawa segala-galanya dikaitkan bahawa punca kenaikan harga minyak kita ini kerana tidak ada penjimatan dan soal rasuah dan sebagainya.

Ini boleh kita terima sekiranya kenaikan harga minyak negara kita adalah sesuatu yang terpencil daripada negara lain. Seolah-olahnya Saudara Anwar menafikan bahawa seluruh dunia berhadapan dengan soal harga minyak yang tinggi sekarang ini, seolah-olah dikatakan bahawa minyak mahal di Malaysia sahaja.

Ini sama saya katakan seperti dalam tahun 1974 dahulu, Saudara menggerakkan MASSA, menggerakkan mahasiswa mengatakan orang kaya raya, orang miskin papa kedana. Sedaplah kita bercakap waktu itu, bercakap tentang orang Baling pada waktu itu. Tetapi pada waktu yang sama kita rasakan bahawa

Saudara Anwar waktu berada dalam Kerajaan, tidak selesai pun tentang soal orang di Baling. Bercakap mudah dalam soal ini, sebab itulah sebahagian daripada masalah yang kita ada, soal IPP ialah semasa zaman Saudara Anwar berada dalam Kerajaan. Susah kita hendak ubah kontrak-kontrak yang ada sekarang ini kerana antara kontrak itu dipertahankan semasa Saudara Anwar berada dalam Kerajaan.

Saudara Anwar kata media suka memutar belitkan. Saya rasakan sekarang ini tidak pernah berlaku kalau Saudara Anwar berada dalam Kerajaan diberi peluang yang begini kepada seorang pemimpin pembangkang. Saya rasakan bahawa kalau mengikut cara Saudara Anwar sewaktu menyelesaikan masalah krisis kewangan tahun 1997, memilih cara yang digemari oleh IMF.

Pada waktu itu yang menjerut rakyat dan tidak pernah pun di cakap kita membuat tentang kepentingan rakyat, kadar bunga yang dinaikkan dengan cara yang cukup tinggi pada waktu itu, NPL dipanggil daripada enam bulan kepada tiga bulan, ramai peniaga kecil SME dan sebagainya bankrap disebabkan oleh Saudara Anwar.

Kita bercakap mudah bila kita di luar, tetapi hakikat yang sebenarnya tidak semudah dapat kita hayati dalam keadaan yang sebenarnya dalam negara kita pada hari ini. Tetapi percayalah sebagaimana yang saya katakan tadi, dalam kesusahan yang ada sekarang rakyat cukup makan.

Kalau disebutkan tentang soal kebocoran dan sebagainya, kita cubalah lihat, Saudara Anwar cubalah lihat bandingkan statistik yang ada sekarang ini, semua negara-negara yang dianggap murah minyaknya juga mengalami keadaan inflasi yang tinggi kecuali boleh dibuktikan satu negara yang memberikan subsidi yang tinggi, inflasinya tidak berlaku, tunjuk dan buktikan, Iran, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Qatar semua ini negara-negara minyaknya tetapi inflasinya adalah jauh lebih tinggi daripada Malaysia.

Sebab itulah saya katakan bahawa jangan kita sempitkan pemikiran kita dalam mengelirukan rakyat semua.

PERANTARA: Sekarang, saya mempersilakan Dato’ Ahmad Shabery mengajukan soalan kepada Dato’ Seri Anwar.

YB DATO’ AHMAD SHABERY CHEEK: Soalan saya mudah sahaja. Kalau kita mengajar rakyat kita dengan harga yang murah walaupun pada hakikatnya harga minyak antarabangsa adalah tinggi, tahun 2015 kita akan menjadi nett importer. Mungkin beberapa tahun lagi kita tidak akan ada minyak lagi. Apakah subsidi begini akan diteruskan? Atau pada waktu itu baru nak naik mendadak serta merta daripada apa yang ada sekarang?
PERANTARA: Silakan Dato’ Seri Anwar.

DATO’ SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM: Ya, terima kasih. Sekurang-kurangnya, soalan itu tadi kembali kepada mauduk. Yang lain itu, soal demonstrasi 1974 belum habis demam pun lagi.

Saudara, siapa yang bagi angka kata ada deflation? Ada kehausan sumber minyak pada 2015? Cuba kalau baca betul-betul laporan PETRONAS. Disebut, mengikut perkiraan sekarang, seandainya 10 tahun dari sekarang tidak ada sama sekali telaga minyak yang baru, maka …, bacalah bagi habis. Maknanya, kapasiti tidak terencat.

20 tahun yang lalu atau 30 tahun yang lalu, kapasiti kita berakhir pada 2005. Keadaan itu berkembang. Baiknya PETRONAS ini, kerana dia tidak hanya memilih untuk cari gali dalam negara. Dia pilih luar negara untuk mencari sumber yang lain. Sebab itu, saya pertahankan PETRONAS.

Yang saya kritik ialah Kerajaan Barisan Nasional. Dia ada beza. Jadi, kalau Ahli-ahli Yang Berhormat, Ahli-ahli Parlimen pun tak faham, problem kita. Soalnya, sekarang, kita bincang minyak. Tapi, pengurusan Kerajaan, kebocoran. Saya boleh bagi contoh, bukan saya bagi perkara yang tidak bertanggungjawab. Betul, IPP itu diluluskan di zaman saya menjadi Menteri Kewangan. Tapi, saudara harus honest to the truth.

Jangan bohong. Saudara boleh semak rekod. Semak surat Tan Sri Ani Arof, Pengerusi TNB. Dia pertahankan keputusan Kementerian Kewangan, dia bercanggah dengan EPU dan keputusan Perdana Menteri pada ketika itu.

Saya mempersilakan Saudara semak balik. Kita tidak bersetuju dengan harga yang ditetapkan. Itu sebabnya, mengapa Tan Sri Ani Arof meletakkan jawatannya sebagai Pengerusi TNB. Betul. Tetapi, tak mengapalah. Dato’ Shabery kata Anwar salah. Tetapi, tahun 1990. Dan kamu buat apa tahun 2008 ini? Sekarang ini, dalam keadaan permulaan perjanjian IPP, rizab kapasiti 10, 15 tahun dulu, sekarang, kita teliti balik.

Untung IPP ini berbilion dan PETRONAS itu kerugian, termasuk TNB kerana beban perjanjian IPP. Sebab itu harus diteliti semula. Saya menganggarkan, kalau diteliti semula selain RM2 bilion rizab kapasiti kita boleh jimatkan RM1 bilion lagi. Dari kadar RM3 bilion, kita hanya perlu RM2 bilion.

Tengok, bagaimana Kerajaan uruskan pembelian diesel. Diesel yang bocor, penyeludupan, dan penyelewengan, berapa? RM700 juta setahun. Kemudian, Kerajaan tubuh syarikat kroni, Teras Kimia, RM117 juta. Sudahlah rugi RM700 juta, ambil syarikat geng dia, bantu pula RM100 juta. Rakyat? Jadi, ini sebab Saudara, saya minta dengan baik, ikhlas, betulkan ini. Kalau kita dapat jimatkan yang ini, setiap proses satu persatu, kita boleh jimatkan. Ini disebut tiris dan bocor. Sekiranya ini dapat dilakukan, kita lihat ini dari segi kerangka ekonomi makro keseluruhannya.

Saudara boleh bangkitkan, umpamanya, ini pendekatan naik minyak mendadak, cadangan siapa? Ini preskripsi IMF World Bank. Dan beri satu contoh. Jangan guna ini sebagai istilah politik biasa. Saya sedia tepat, soal krisis ekonomi 1997, 1998 dengan pakar ekonomi lain pun tak apa. Tetapi, dengan syarat, bagi ruang. Bahawa adalah satu fitnah besar seperti fitnah berterusan terhadap saya bahawa kita tunduk kepada prinsip IMF.

Saudara, tidak mengapa. Soalnya sekarang, kita beri satu kebocoran yang saya sebutkan tadi. PETRONAS umumkan, ada dividen khas selain daripada beberapa bilion tadi ni, dividen khas tahun ini kepada Kerajaan sebanyak RM6 bilion. Tak bolehkah saya ambil RM1 bilion untuk tampung, supaya kos minyak turun 50 sen?

Apa, bagi Ahli-ahli Yang Berhormat, berat sangat ke? Allah, bagaimanakah, takut bayangkan Kerajaan nak bagi RM1 bilion. RM1 bilion, untuk redakan masalah ini. Saudara percayalah, dua bulan, tiga bulan sekarang. Ini bukan soal penangan Pakatan Rakyat. Pakatan Rakyat satu wadah. Ini soal, rakyat. Kalau kita nak teruskan kebijakan ekonomi, sekarang ini, apa yang akan berlaku ialah kemelesetan, pengangguran yang sekarang setengah juta akan mencecah hampir 1 juta orang. Ini beban kepada rakyat.
PERANTARA: Terima kasih, Dato’ Seri. Saudara penonton yang saya hormati sekalian. Demikian tadi berakhirnya segmen yang kedua dalam perbincangan kita pada malam ini. Kita akan bertemu lagi selepas pesanan iklan ini. Jangan ke mana-mana.

PERANTARA: Saudara penonton yang saya hormati sekalian, saudara sedang mengikuti Debat AgendaDaily. Dua pendebat yang di undang ialah YB Dato’ Ahmad Shabery Cheek dan Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Judul perdebatan kita pada hari ialah ‘Hari Ini Bentuk Kerajaan, Esok Turun Harga Minyak’. Kita sampai kepada pusingan yang kedua terakhir. Saya akan mengemukakan soalan ini, pertama kepada Dato’ Seri Anwar dan kemudian akan dijawab oleh Dato’ Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

Soalan saya ialah, Dato’ Seri, rasanya tidak perlulah jadi Perdana Menteri untuk membantu meringankan beban rakyat. Kenapa tidak sumbangkan idea bernas untuk tujuan itu pada masa ini. Tanpa perlu, misalnya cakap-cakap mengenai menukar Kerajaan. Silakan.

DATO’ SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM: Terima kasih. Ini yang sebab saya ikut serta ni. Saya bukan Perdana Menteri, bahkan nasib saya satu dua hari ini, belum tentu ke mana. Tetapi saya memilih untuk hadir kerana saya rasa, Kerajaan juga, kawan-kawan saya dalam UMNO dan Barisan Nasional harus beri peluang untuk dengar.

Ini bukan satu soal yang partisan hanya khusus untuk Pakatan Rakyat. Kalau cadangan ini diterima dan dilaksanakan, kita akan menyokong tindakan mereka. Tetapi soalnya sekarang ialah apakah ada kesediaan pemimpin-pemimpin Kerajaan dengar dan cuba melaksanakan.

Saudara Johan, Profesor Arif, MIER, umpamanya menyebut, Februari 2006 naik 30 sen, inflasi bulan berikutnya 4.8%. Sekarang naik mendadak, belum sempat satu bulan, naiknya 8%. Jadi jangan sibuk perhati di Iran dan Venezuela, kita pun sudah menuju cepat ke arah itu. Bezanya dia harga minyak rendah, inflasi tinggi.

Kita, harga minyak tinggi, inflasi lagi tinggi. Ini bukan boleh sudah dikatakan populis atau tidak, saya bimbang kerana, kalau kita tidak membawa arah baru dalam pengurusan ekonomi negara, lebih baik, lebih mendekati prinsip ekonomi pasaran, lebih meyakinkan dengan pengurusan yang cekap, lebih bersih kepada daripada kebocoran, ketirisan dan rasuah. Lebih menghormati rule of law dan negara hukum. Ini semua akan menjejaskan.

Kita tewas dengan persaingan kita, dengan banyak negara. Jangan banding dengan Somalia dan Zimbabwe. Bandingkan dengan negara-negara yang dulu kita setara. Singapura, Taiwan, Korea Selatan dan negara di ASEAN sendiri. Mengapa kita tewas? Dari segi pelaburan asing, dari segi daya saing. Ini semua ada kesan bila kita ambil apa-apa kebijakan ekonomi.

Saya masih yakin, Malaysia dengan kekuatan yang ada, sumber, termasuk kekuatan dari minyak dari petroleum, itu mempunyai potensi yang besar. Dengan syarat pengurusan Kerajaan itu cekap dan bersih dan sedia mendengar dan mengorak cepat untuk bersaing dengan negara-negara lain.

PERANTARA: Terima kasih Dato’ Seri. Silakan Dato’.

DATO’ AHMAD SHABERY CHEEK: Ya. Kalau tadi IPP dia salahkan Dr Mahathir, tapi selepas itu saya pernah mendengar Saudara Anwar cakap, Dr Mahathir pemimpin yang paling hebat. Pernah dia kata, kalau boleh dipintal awan di langit, akan ku pintal dengan nama Dr Mahathir dan Siti Hasmah pada waktu itu.

Ada orang kalau dia tak setuju, dia letak jawatan pada waktu itu. Tapi kalau saya katakan populisnya begini. Kalau sebelum pilihan raya, dia katakan bahawa, kalau memerintah sebelum pilihan raya nak turun bawah daripada RM1.92. Sepatutnya tidak timbul sekarang ini nak bercakap di bawah 50 sen sahaja daripada harga yang ada sekarang.

Kita mesti kembali pada asas. Ucapan ini dibuat berasaskan kepada ucapan sebelum pilihan raya. Sebelum pilihan raya. Kalau langkah awal, langkah seterusnya semakin murah semakin murah, di waktu harga minyak semakin mahal semakin mahal. Apakah kita bercakap harga minyak di Malaysia semakin murah semakin murah ertinya kita akan membebankan Negara dengan subsidi yang lebih tinggi dan ini sama sekali bertentangan dengan mana-mana prinsip ekonomi yang sihat.

Kalau kita tidak mengikut prinsip ekonomi yang sihat, kita akan menyebabkan Negara kita akan terus dibebankan dengan beban baru. Adakah kita hendak berhutang selepas ini? Dan kalau kita berhutang, dengan siapa kita hendak berhutang?

Kalau tidak dengan peminjam-peminjam atau ‘ah long-ah long’ antarabangsa. Sebab itulah kalau dikatakan tentang menggunakan wang PETRONAS, misalnya. Tahu tidak, daripada apa yang Kerajaan dapat sekarang ini, sebenarnya daripada keuntungan PETRONAS Berhad. Jangan kita cakap tentang PETRONAS Group atau Kumpulan PETRONAS yang termasuk Cari Gali, PETRONAS Dagang dan sebagainya yang melibatkan saham-saham orang lain.

Daripada keuntungan PETRONAS itu, sebenarnya yang telah diberi kepada Kerajaan ialah sebanyak 91% telah diberikan. Apa lagi yang hendak kita ambil dari PETRONAS selepas ini? Dan kita kena ingat bahawa PETRONAS kuat dan maju sekarang ini dan selama ini, kerana siapa? Kalau tidak kerana Kerajaan UMNO dan Barisan Nasional.

Apakah kita hendak nafikan kehebatan yang dibuat oleh PETRONAS selama ini adalah kerana dorongan yang diberikan oleh Kerajaan. Kita tidak bebankan PETRONAS, kita benarkan PETRONAS untuk melabur kembali dan kita tidak mengambil segala-galanya yang ada pada PETRONAS.

Kalau dikatakan penyalahgunaan kuasa, selalu saya beritahu tadi, ianya kalau kita terpisah daripada negara-negara lain hanya negara kita saja yang minyaknya naik, boleh kita katakan demikian. Tetapi kita menerima realiti dan hakikat, masalah ini adalah masalah global yang tidak boleh kita lari.

PERANTARA: Kita sampai kepada pusingan akhir, saya mempersilakan Dato’ Seri Anwar untuk membuat penggulungan. Kita ada waktu yang cukup terbatas, kira-kira satu setengah minit. Silakan.

DATO’ SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM: Terima kasih. Di antara negara pengeksport minyak, harga minyak di Malaysia keterlaluan tinggi. Itu faktanya. Tidak saya mahu bandingkan dengan Venezuela. Itu yang pertama.

Kedua, harga minyak memang tidak menentu. Tetapi berapa ramai kajian dan pakar minyak menyebut sudah ada break point. Atau besar kemungkinan harga minyak itu menetap dan mula menurun.

Ketiga, kita mengemukakan cadangan ini, gagasan ini dengan penuh tanggung jawab. Kerana kita mahu ekonomi kita kukuh, kerana saya yakin di bawah pimpinan Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, belum tentu sampai bila, kalau diteruskan dengan dasar yang ada sekarang, dalam tempoh dua bulan atau tiga bulan lagi, kedudukan ekonomi kita akan jauh lebih parah daripada kedudukan yang parah sebelumnya. Ini kenyataannya. Saudara tidak setuju, tidak apa.

Tapi saya minta teliti dengan baik dan objektif. Sebab itu saya komited, Insya Allah, kita dalam Pakatan Rakyat akan terus menjelaskan kepada rakyat dan saya sebab itu, saya tidak mahu hak saya dinafikan dan untuk meneruskan agenda ini walaupun Saudara Shabery memilih untuk menyerang secara peribadi, saya tidak mahu jawab. Kerana ini bukan ruangnya. Kerana ruang dia di RTM masih banyak lagi.

Dan saya tidak mempunyai ruang selepas ini. Tetapi percaya, fitnah ke, khianat ke, ada batasnya. Saya diberikan sebaik ada pilihan, Insya Allah saya akan bertanding dalam pilihan raya dalam masa sesingkat yang mungkin.

PERANTARA: Saya minta Dato’ Ahmad Shabery.

YB DATO’ AHMAD SHABERY CHEEK: Percayalah. Kalau kita perhatikan bahawa, Saudara Anwar tidak berubah seperti dulu. Dalam sejarah yang banyak memberi sumbangan kepada Negara untuk membina PETRONAS daripada apa yang ada sekarang, sebaik-baiknya kepada satu syarikat yang mencapai tahap yang begitu tinggi sekali.

Kalau dahulu, orang yang membina PETRONAS seperti Tun Razak, sudah ditentang. Tun Mahathir yang mengembangkan PETRONAS sampai ke peringkat dunia, ditentang juga. Kita selalu sebutkan bahawa pada waktu sekarang Pak Lah tidak mengambil lebih daripada apa yang sepatutnya. Maka tidak ada sebab untuk kita menentang.

Dan apakah kita nak sekarang ini, dalam keadaan sekarang ini, kita terus hendak mainkan sentimen-sentimen mengajak orang ke jalan raya sebagaimana yang dibuat dalam tahun 1974 dahulu, akan menyelesaikan masalah kita. Dan kita ingat, kalau ingin kita terus menyebabkan menekankan supaya wang yang banyak diambil daripada PETRONAS misalnya, untuk membantu mensubsidi negara kita, maka kita akan katakan bahawa kita membenarkan ia menjadi semakin miskin dan mungkin kita hendak membenarkan orang lain akan mengambil PETRONAS satu masa nanti.

Percayalah dalam soal ini, kita lihatlah dalam negara-negara lain, Malaysia adalah negara yang terbaik. Growth atau pertumbuhan kita kekal ke angka 6% setahun lebih baik daripada banyak negara yang ada di sekitar sini. Saya percaya, bahawa perdebatan sebegini rupa adalah bukti keterbukaan Kerajaan kita yang ada sekarang yang tidak mungkin diperoleh sewaktu Saudara Anwar menjadi Timbalan Perdana Menteri, satu ketika dahulu.

PERANTARA: Terima kasih Dato’ Ahmad Shabery. Demikian tadi saudara penonton yang saya hormati sekalian, berakhirnya Debat AgendaDaily dengan membawa tajuk ‘Hari Ini Bentuk Kerajaan, Esok Turun Harga Minyak’. Terima kasih Yang Berhormat Dato’ Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Menteri Penerangan Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Penasihat Parti Keadilan Rakyat dan yang bersedia berdebat dengan isu ini. Kepada kedua-dua wakil pendebat Tan Sri Datuk Dr Nordin Kardi dan Saudara Zulkifli Sulong, saya ucapkan terima kasih. Semoga kita mendapat manfaat dengan pertemuan ini. Saya akhiri dengan Assalamualaikum, salam sejahtera dan selamat malam.

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World's Most Crowded Pool



Someone floated the idea and they all went with it.

But once in the water, trying to swim a few lengths was suddenly out of the question.

In fact, there was treading room only when thousands of swimmers crowded into a pool in Penglai in Sichuan, western China.

Families are gradually returning to the area after May's devastating earthquake-In one of the world's most populous countries, the fact there was no elbow room in the pool was not going to stop the fun.

But despite their collection of colourful rubber rings, the swimmers couldn't float about for too long.

The resort has become popular with China's rising middle class who take day-trips to the scenic spot.

Government officials say the increase in tourists is due to it now being safe to return to the Sichuan area after the devastating earthquake in May.

Official figures say around 70,000 people died in the natural disaster, which left 4.8 million people homeless. It is the biggest natural disaster to hit China since 1976.

via

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The Debate: A Review by Marina Mahathir

It's been a long time since I reviewed anything, whether a book or a movie. But having watched The Debate tonight, I was rather moved to write one. Now this is not going to be a review about substance, because I'm not sure I really understood what little substance there was. This is really going to be a review of the debaters, rather than the debate.

First of all, in many ways they were well matched, Anwar and Shabery. They're both guys, one smooth-skinned and one who used to be smooth-skinned. (OKlah, Anwar's been having some troubles lately so very understandable that he looked a bit worse for wear.) They're of the same height and both have that air of the natty dresser, even if someone must have decided that ties are not de rigeur tonight, perhaps to make it seem more casual.

I thought Anwar started off shakily but soon warmed up. While Shabery started off smooth and then got shaky. Both had facts to throw at the other but you could see who was the more experienced politician and who knows how to appeal to people. After a while, Shabery started to look, well, shifty. I wound up being more fascinated by the body language of these two rather than actually listening to what they said.

Not that there was much to what they said. I didn't find either very convincing. But people are often convinced by demeanour, by what looks like sincerity and conviction. They look at what expressions you pull your face into and whether they are deliberate or not. Both debaters smile and neither smile is the sort that warms the cockles of your heart. But Shabery's bottom lip has an unnerving wobbliness that betrays....what, nervousness?

The audience naturally comprised supporters of both sides but they were very subdued, compared to the usual raucousness you'd expect from devotees. They clapped when their respective heroes made a point they liked (though each time they sounded as if they were cue'd). The curious thing was that Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah seemed disinclined to applaud her husband at all. (I wish I knew which one was Shabery's wife. All the women in the audience seemed to be Anwar fans except maybe Halimah Sadique.)

I rather liked the format of the debate though where each had a chance to say their bit,then answered questions put to them by the moderator Datuk Johan Jaafar, then handpicked questioners from both sides. Then they got to ask each other questions! But I suppose it's in the nature of politicians to be unable to ask a question without preceding it with a speech, nor to answer anything directly or to stick to the point. But by wandering into the realm of the personal, I think Shabery lost major points.

Anyway, all in all I think these debates are a good thing. Let's have more match-ups. How about Nik Aziz against Zahid Hamidi? Yen Yen against Shahrizat? Azalina against Rafidah? Nazri against Guan Eng? Harussani against Asri? Yummy, makes for great TV!

Source: RantingsbyMM

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Finally, It's Jessica Alba's Baby !!!


Preparing for the birth of your first child can be nerve-wracking for any new mom, but for Jessica Alba and her husband Cash Warren, the birth of their daughter Honor Marie Warren on June 7 was anything but chaotic.

"I didn't scream," Jessica tells OK! in an exclusive interview and photoshoot. "It was really Zen." And Cash could only marvel at his wife's quiet strength when she gave birth. "She didn't make a sound," he says. "It was amazing."

Here, the proud pair open their door exclusively to OK!, introducing the adorable Honor Marie Warren.


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UPDATE: New cover pic from the Spanish edition of OK!

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Benfica Sign Pablo Aimar

Benfica and Zaragoza had been locked in negotiations for several weeks and it appeared as though the latter's last-minute demands had made the deal fall through.

However, Benfica's Sporting Director, Rui Costa, travelled to the Spanish city on Tuesday to proceed with talks and finalize the deal for Quique Flores' main summer target.

It is reported that Aimar has signed a three-year contract and will cost Benfica a fee of €7,5 million.

Although he travelled with the rest of the Zaragoza squad to their pre-season training camp, Aimar was given the green light to move to Benfica this afternoon and is expected in Lisbon tomorrow to be presented to the press.

The former Valencia man did not hide his joy for signing for Benfica, saying: "Fortunately, I have always been able to choose where to play in my career. I had other offers, but I always wanted Benfica."

Luís Mira (via Goal.com)

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Classic Mourinho - Jose Takes A Stab At Ancelotti
















Inter coach Jose Mourinho responded to Carlo Ancelotti's claims that he could never coach Milan because of his less than illustrious past as a player.

A few months ago, when Inter were about to win the Scudetto and Milan were struggling, there were rumours that coach Jose Mourinho, now at Inter, was ready to join the Rossoneri to replace Carlo Ancelotti.

The Milan coach reacted to these voices by referring to Mourinho's lowly past as a footballer: "Mourinho to Milan? He can't even kick a ball..."

The Portuguese coach never got past the amateur level, while Ancelotti played for the likes of Roma and Milan, as well as appearing for the Italian national team.

During the presentation ahead of the new season at Inter's Appiano Gentile training ground, Mourinho referred to this quote and gave the following response.

"Perhaps he has forgotten that in Milan's history Arrigo Sacchi made them play the best football," he said. "And Sacchi, like me, never played football at a high level. My dentist is great, but he's never had tooth ache..."

Danilo Pochini (via Goal.com)

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Opinion: Stay firm on bid to impose windfall profit tax

THE government should stand resolute on the implementation of the 30% windfall profit tax for independent power producers (IPPs). It should not be swayed by alarmist views that the windfall tax will have a negative impact on the bond markets.

An economist has debunked this and pointed out that the current lacklustre performance of bonds was being affected by any number of factors and not solely the windfall tax issue or inflation.

It should not be forgotten that the IPPs have managed to rake in super profits year after year since they came into operation in the 1990s.

This is because Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) was forced to agree to the overly generous terms given to the IPPs in the contracts signed between them.

Last year, 13 IPPs made a profit of RM3.37bil. The IPPs have probably recovered their initial capital investments many times over.

Furthermore, since 1997, the IPPs benefited from RM27.6bil in gas subsidies from Petronas.

Petronas, TNB and the public have long been at the losing end because of the IPPs. Therefore, the Government must not exempt IPPs from the windfall profit tax.

S.M. MOHAMED IDRIS,

President,

Consumers Association of Penang.

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Opinion: Debate A Milestone

MY whole family sat up to watch the debate on July 15 between Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek and de facto Pakatan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

I surely expected a fiery debate, especially from Anwar but nevertheless, I was not disappointed to see a lively and orderly debate. Both leaders acted with decorum. My letter is not to show support to any particular debater but to highlight the civil-mannered way the debaters, organisers and audience behaved. To a certain extent, all of them have proved that given the correct forum and platform, matters can be discussed and argued in a healthy way without resorting to violence through rallies, protests and demonstrations.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate both Anwar (although I expected something spicier from him) and Ahmad for putting up a good show. It does not matter who triumphed over whom but what is important is that a new dimension has been created for more open debate which would keep democracy alive in this country.

To be fair, both did credibly well. All of us know Anwar is a fiery speaker and we definitely would expect some sparks to fly but credit should be given to him for putting up a brave front despite the uncertainties looming ahead of him.

To Ahmad, I take my hat off to you for being so brave to take on a political giant. You have done your party and government proud. Honestly, nobody noticed you until recently.

And to the Government, thank you for allowing the debate knowing that it could have gone wrong.

With such maturity shown by all concerned, I hope the Information Ministry will consider having open debates at least once a month. Let the nation listen to what the Government and Opposition have to say. Let us get it first-hand instead of getting doctored and unreliable stories.


JAYARAJ KGS,

Sitiawan.

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Official: Hleb To Barcelona

The Catalan club confirmed the deal this morning, and he has officially been unveiled as a Barcelona player now, less that 24 hours after the departure of Ronaldinho.

The midfielder had been linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium for a number of months as he sought a new challenge, and the rumours intensified after some rather explosive comments from his agent last month.

He denied allegations of a rift with manager Arsene Wenger or team-mate Cesc Fabregas, but it had been known for a while that his time with Arsenal was as good as over.

The signing of Samir Nasri was what saw the Gunners give the nod, and he now moves to Camp Nou to replace Ronaldinho.

Internazionale were said to be interested in him - even accused of making an illegal approach - something the player and the club denied, but it is the Catalans who sealed a deal worth 15 million euros, and five more based on results and performances.

Hleb told Barcelona's television channel: "I love this club.

"I spoke with Guardiola and it's good to know he wants me. I'll give my best to this team and I want to win everything with Barça."

Fernando Montabon, Goal.com

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Grammar Lesson

On my 65th birthday, I got a gift certificate from my wife. The certificate paid for a visit to a shaman living on a nearby reservation who was rumored to have a wonderful cure for erectile dysfunction.

After being persuaded, I drove to the reservation, handed my ticket to the shaman, and wondered what I was in for.

The old man slowly, methodically produced a potion. He handed it to me, and with a grip on my shoulder, warned, “This is powerful medicine and it must be respected. You take only a teaspoonful and then say, ‘1-2-3′. When you do that, you will be longer and harder than you have ever been in your life and you can perform as long as you want.”

I was encouraged. As he walked away, I turned and asked, “How do I stop the medicine from working?”

“Your partner must say ‘1-2-3-4′ when she’s had enough,” the shaman replied. “But when she does, the medicine will not work again until the next full moon.”

I was eager to see if it worked. I went home, showered, shaved, took a spoonful of the medicine, and then invited my wife to join me in the bedroom. When she came in, I took off my clothes and said, “1-2-3!” Immediately, I was the manliest of men.

My wife took one look at me. She was so excited she began throwing off her clothes. She jumped onto the bed and excitedly asked, “What was the ‘1-2-3′ for?”

And that, boys and girls, is why we should never end our sentences with a preposition.

via

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Video: Floor-By-Floor Demolition - Starting From The Bottom!



This method of demolishing a building may be more environmentally friendly but it's hardly any fun. [Gizmodo has more info]

via

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Ya Kahwin Tapi Bukan Dengan Fahrin























(Temuramah MURAI.com.my dengan Linda Onn)

Teks oleh Razif Rosdi

KUALA LUMPUR, 8 JULAI 2008: Kalau ada anugerah Deejay Paling Sensasi tentu ia sudah lama menjadi milik Linda Onn. Satu lepas satu kontroversi menimpa pengacara popular ini - daripada kisah red carpet di Academy Awards, berperang dingin dengan rakan setugas, Nana, hinggalah gosip putus cinta dengan Fahrin Ahmad.


Walaupun Linda dilaporkan tidak lagi bersama Fahrin, dia dikatakan sedang membina sebuah rumah besar dan akan didiami apabila berkahwin. Namun siapakah buah hati sebenar Linda?


Jom ikuti temubual eksklusif dengan Linda Onn...


MURAI: Benarkah Linda sudah bersedia untuk berkahwin?
LINDA ONN: Ya, memang betul. Saya sudah bersedia dan berharap dapat meninggalkan zaman bujang pada tahun ini juga. Tapi kita hanya merancang, Tuhan yang menentukan.

MURAI: Siapakah calon suami Linda itu? Adakah dia Fahrin Ahmad?
LINDA ONN: (Ketawa) Saya masih lagi mencari calon yang sesuai untuk hidup semati bersama. Tapi lelaki yang bernama Fahrin Ahmad itu bukanlah orangnya. Hubungan kami tidak akan berakhir dengan ikatan suami isteri.


MURAI: Kalau benar tahun ini, bilakah tarikh kahwin pilihan Linda?
LINDA ONN: Tarikhnya masih belum dipastikan. Tapi, kalau boleh saya mahu kahwin selepas rumah baru saya siap dibina tak lama lagi.


MURAI: Di manakah rumah baru itu? Bukankah Linda sudah ada sebuah rumah yang besar dan cantik?
LINDA ONN: Saya baru saja membeli sebuah rumah baru di Ampang. Ikut perancangan, saya dan bakal suami saya akan tinggal di rumah ini.


MURAI: Apakah ciri-ciri calon suami Linda? Dia semestinya selebriti?
LINDA ONN: Saya bukan pemilih sangat. Tak kisahlah dia artis atau bukan. Yang penting lelaki itu mestilah baik hati, alim, tidak tinggal sembahyang, tak kuat cemburu dan boleh bimbing saya ke arah kebaikan. Senang cerita, sedap mata memandang. Saya tak pandang pada nama atau kedudukan.


MURAI: Jadi, takkanlan Fahrin tak ada ciri-ciri tersebut?
LINDA ONN: No comment.


MURAI: Sudah berapa lamakah Linda kenal dengan Fahrin?
LINDA ONN: Sorrylah, saya tak ingat. Alah, you kiralah sendiri, you takkan tak tahu (seloroh)!


MURAI: Bagaimana hubungan Linda dan Fahrin sekarang?
LINDA ONN: Sebenarnya, kami masih lagi berkawan macam dulu. Cuma tak rapat dan mesra macam dulu.


MURAI: Apa punca hubungan Linda dan Fahrin renggang?
LINDA ONN: Tak ada punca langsung. Setahu saya, masing-masing terlalu sibuk dengan komitmen kerjaya yang begitu padat sekali.


MURAI: Apakah komen Linda tentang kenyataan Fahrin "Kalau Linda Nak Kahwin, dia kena beri komitmen sepenuhnya" ?
LINDA ONN: Ooh baguslah macam tu. Terima kasih sangat sebab dia bagi nasihat yang bagus dan mengambil berat. Insya-Allah saya akan gunakan nasihat itu untuk bakal suami saya nanti.


MURAI: Linda mengaku Linda kawan Fahrin. Jadi Linda memang tahu Fahrin itu ada awek lain dan pernah dating bersama?
LINDA ONN: Pasal perkara tu, saya pun dapat tahu melalui pihak media. Bagi saya, terpulanglah pada Fahrin dengan siapa dia nak keluar. Sebagai kawan saya tumpang gembira saja.


MURAI: Benarkah Linda cemburu dengan Fahrin yang keluar dengan perempuan lain?
LINDA ONN: Buat apa saya nak cemburu. Kami hanya kawan biasa saja. Hubungan kami tidak wujud pun sedikit rasa cinta. Terus-terang saya tak ada perasaan cinta langsung dengan Fahrin. Kan saya dah kata, hubungan kami tidak akan ke arah kahwin.


MURAI: Apakah komen famili tentang isu ini?
LINDA ONN: Syukur sangat. Keluarga faham dengan semua yang terjadi. Mereka lebih tahu isi hati saya berbanding orang luar. Bukan itu saja, mereka juga faham apa penderitaan serta kebahagian yang saya lalui selama ini.


MURAI: Apa pula respon kawan rapat dan orang sekeliling?
LINDA ONN: Sama macam family saya. Mereka banyak bagi sokongan moral begitu juga dengan rakan setugas saya.


MURAI: Difahamkan Sehati Berdansa 2 akan muncul. Adakah Linda masih jadi pengacaranya?
LINDA ONN: Setakat ini, saya masih belum terima sebarang apa-apa tawaran tapi saya akan update pihak media untuk mengesahkan sama ada saya masih dikekalkan atau pun tidak. Saya harap masih dikekalkanlah.


MURAI: Kalau dikekalkan, adakah Linda masih sedia berganding dengan Fahrin seperti musim pertama?
LINDA ONN: Saya tak kisah digandingkan dengan sesiapa pun. Kalau dengan Fahrin lagi, saya akan buat secara profesional. Ini semua kerja dan tiada kaitan dengan masalah peribadi. Kerja tetap kerja.

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Kenyataan Media Pejabat Datuk Anwar Ibrahim






















KUALA LUMPUR, 16HB JULAI, 2008 3.30 PM

Petang ini jam 1.05 petang Anwar Ibrahim, Mantan Timbalan Perdana Menteri Malaysia ditahan di luar rumah beliau di Kuala Lumpur. Beliau dijadualkan untuk memberi kenyataan di Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontinjen Kuala Lumpur pada jam 2.00 petang berasaskan perjanjian yang dicapai dengan pihak polis pada hari Selasa lalu.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ketika itu dalam perjalanan pulang dari Ibu Pejabat Badan Pencegah Rasuah ke rumah beliau selepas memberi kenyataan berkenaan laporan polis yang dibuatnya. Laporan tersebut berkaitan pemalsuan serta penyembunyian bukti-bukti kes oleh Tan Sri Musa Hasan dan Tan Sri Gani Patail pada tahun 1998 yang membabitkan Datuk Seri Anwar. Beliau diiringi para peguam, staf dan pasukan keselamatan.

Pasukan polis yang disertai 10 buah kereta, separuh darinya tidak dapat dikenali, telah memaksa rombongan Datuk Seri Anwar untuk berhenti sejurus mereka memasuki persimpangan Bukit Segambut. Pasukan polis ini juga terdiri dari Unit Tindakan Khas yang berjumlah 20 orang bertopeng, mengingatkan kita kepada peristiwa tahun 1998.

Seorang pegawai terus mendekati Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan meminta beliau turun untuk menaiki kenderaan yang disediakan polis ke Ibu Pejabat Kontijen Polis Kuala Lumpur( IPK KL). Para peguam beliau tidak dibenarkan untuk bersama dalam satu kenderaan menuju ke IPK KL.

Penangkapan ini terjadi kurang dari 15 jam selepas Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim muncul buat julung kalinya secara siaran langsung di Televisyen Malaysia semenjak tahun 1998. Beliau mengumumkan kepada para penonton akan hasratnya untuk bertanding pilihanraya kecil dan selepas berjaya membentuk kerajaan baru, akan menurunkan harga minyak petrol tempatan sebanyak 50 sen.

Majoriti rakyat Malaysia gembira dan menyatakan sokongan ke atas kenyataan yang dibuat oleh Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ketika siaran tersebut.Insiden penangkapan ini mengejutkan serta menunjukkan segala episod yang berlaku bagaikan satu ulangan tindakan yang dikenakan kepada Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim pada tahun 1998. Minggu-minggu kebelakangan ini menyaksikan media arus perdana yang dimiliki kerajaan mulai menabur fitnah dan memburukkan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Kakitangan beliau diganggu dan kita menyaksikan satu konspirasi telah bermula untuk merencatkan perubahan politik yang kian hampir. Rakyat Malaysia dan komuniti antarabangsa walau dalam apa jua keadaan sekalipun tidak akan membenarkan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dicederakan. Perdana Menteri Abdullah Badawi mesti berpegang pada janji untuk memastikan keselamatan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Kami berjaya berkomunikasi dengan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan beliau meminta para penyokong dan rakyat Malaysia untuk tetap bertenang supaya tidak ada alasan bagi pihak kerajaan untuk mengisytiharkan darurat. Oleh itu beliau menyeru agar rakyat Malaysia dan para penyokong menolak sebarang bentuk provokasi.


PEJABAT DATUK SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM

English Version

This afternoon at 1:05 PM Anwar Ibrahim, former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, was arrested outside of his home in Kuala Lumpur. He was due to issue a statement at IPK KL (Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent Headquarters) at 2:00 PM based on an agreement reached with the police on Tuesday.

Anwar Ibrahim was returning from the Anti Corruption Agency to his home after giving a statement pertaining to the police report that has been filed regarding suppression of material facts in the case involving him in 1998. He was accompanied by his senior legal team, staff, and security.

As he entered the neighborhood of his home, a contingent of ten police cars, half unmarked and half patrol, forced the two cars in Anwar Ibrahim’s entourage to stop. There was a contingent of 20 balaklava-clad masked commandos (UTK) who accosted him, reminiscent of the forces sent to arrest Anwar Ibrahim at his home in September 1998.

An officer approached Anwar Ibrahim and demanded that he accompany the police in an unmarked vehicle to the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent Headquarters. His lawyers were not permitted to travel with him to the police station.

This arrest has taken place less than fifteen hours after Anwar Ibrahim appeared live on Malaysian television for the first time since 1998 and announced to millions of viewers his intention to stand for election, and upon the formation of a new government, to lower the domestic price of fuel by 50 sen. The overwhelming majority of Malaysians expressed their support of his televised statement.

These events are deeply disturbing to us and indicate that this entire episode is a repeat of the actions taken against Anwar Ibrahim in 1998. During the last few weeks the government owned mainstream media has demonized and vilified him. His staff has been harassed and we see a conspiracy being hatched to thwart the political change that is imminent in Malaysia.

Under no circumstances will the people of Malaysia and the international community tolerate any harm coming to Anwar Ibrahim. We remind Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi of the promise he made to ensure Anwar Ibrahim’s protection.

We have been able to communicate with Anwar Ibrahim, who calls upon his supporters and the people of Malaysia to remain calm and to reject any attempts at provocation, which will give a pretext for an emergency situation to be declared.


OFFICE OF ANWAR IBRAHIM

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Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and Suri On Set


Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, and baby Suri were spotted on the set of, "Eli Stone" in Los Angeles yesterday. Tom Cruise was on set to film a cameo for an upcoming show and brought along his adorable family. Suri is such a cuuute little girl and she's always wearing the most adorable dresses.

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O'Neill: Gunners In For Barry

The Gareth Barry saga has taken yet another twist after Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill revealed Arsenal have expressed an interest in the wantaway midfielder…

Rumours have arisen that the Gunners are preparing to swoop on the soon to be ex-Villa skipper, whose hopes of moving to Liverpool appear to be fading fast given recent developments.

The Reds have failed to meet Villa’s ₤18million asking price and are unlikely to go any higher than ₤15million, especially now that Juventus have dropped their interest in Xabi Alonso.

It has been speculated that Arsene Wenger, who is on the lookout for a top-notch central midfielder, may use the lull in negotiations to snap up Barry from under Benitez’s nose.

And O’Neill confirmed those suspicions last night, revealing that the Gunners have in fact made an enquiry into the England international’s availability .

Speaking to The Sun, the Ulsterman said: “Myself and Steve Walford both know Arsene Wenger’s assistant Pat Rice.

“He phoned Steve to ask how the Liverpool thing had gone and said that they might show an interest.

“At the end of the conversation Arsenal said ‘that’s fine’ and that they’ll let us know. That is exactly what happened.”

Mike Maguire (via Goal.com)

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Agent Pushes Arshavin Towards Arsenal

It has been another week of mixed messages surrounding the possible future of the Euro 2008 standout, as the boyhood Barcelona fan seemed less than completely enthused about the prospect of playing in the Emirates next season in a recent interview, while Zenit St Petersburg rubbished reports of an Arsenal bid by insisting that they are yet to receive a single offer from England.

Nevertheless, Arshavin's agent, Dennis Lachter , seems to be optimistic that an agreement can be reached that will see his star client lining up for the Gunners next season.

"The stable situation in the club and the influence of Arsene Wenger to Arsenal and to English football is huge. I think this is an advantage," Lachter was quoted as saying in The Guardian.

"If Arsenal go for Arshavin it could be really good for both parties. Arsenal is a very young team and Arshavin is 27.

"There's something about combining young and older players, they propagate attacking football," he added.

The Russian international attracted an array of admiring clubs on the strength of two spectacular Euro 2008 performances against Sweden and the Netherlands. The fact that Zenit are now demanding £24million for their crown jewel has scared off a whole host of potential suitors, however, including, much to his chagrin, Barcelona apparently.

Derek Wanner, Goal.com

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The Fix It Club

The Fix It Club offers you 175+ Fix It Guides with illustrated steps to guide you in troubleshooting and repairing or recycling anything around your home and household.From repairing your mechanical clock to your wooden furniture and from your electric tooth brush to your coffee grinder.

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No Mandate for Anwar to be PM

CERITALAH BY KARIM RASLAN

I INTERVIEWED Anwar Ibrahim last week: a very animated discussion covering many issues.

Initially, I asked about his contrarian oil price scheme but his answers, delivered with his signature charm, didn’t quite persuade me and we moved on.

When I left the PKR headquarters in Tropicana I had a sense of a man who seemed remarkably calm despite the looming storms.

Having not met him for well over 10 years, I was also struck by how little he appeared to have aged physically. Despite having reached his sixties, he was trim and energetic – darting in and out of the conference room to field telephone calls from his lawyers. And yet as we talked I couldn’t shake a sense of déjà vu, albeit with a significant difference: last time he was a young man in a hurry. Now, he was just in a hurry.

Driving back I realised I wasn’t really too interested in what Anwar had to say, so much as what I wanted to say about him, as the encounter crystallised many of my thoughts.

For a writer, tackling a figure as divisive and yet charismatic as Anwar is a venture fraught with pitfalls. You cannot help but be enthralled by his intellectual dexterity and sheer style.

The myths swirling around him obscure the reality, if indeed there is one. Which of the various contradictory images is closer to the truth: the unscrupulous “devil-in-disguise” street-fighter-activist that many in the Malay establishment appear to fear more than fear itself? Or is he the showy but enlightened Muslim statesman jetting between global capitals sprinkling his speeches with quotes from Ibn Khaldun and Jose Rizal?

The truth no doubt lies somewhere in between but whatever we might think about him, we must commend him for one remarkable achievement which will earn him an esteemed place in Malaysia’s political history.

On March 8, at the helm of the Pakatan Rakyat, he shook the nation’s political foundations.

Upending the stale status quo, he showed that there was an alternative to 50 years of Barisan and Umno.

We – and that included diehard Umno supporters – all owe him a debt of gratitude for his endeavours in this respect. He has forced the party of Merdeka into a measure of self-doubt and opened up our rotten political system to a degree of reassessment and possible reform.

Moreover, his formulation of “ketuanan rakyat” remains a high point of the past few years’ political rhetoric. There are very few men and women of his brilliance in our public life.

Still, the Government won’t move on the reform agenda unless there’s continuous pressure on it to act. If Anwar is taken out of the equation, there will be no pressing need to carry on with the reform agenda.

Nonetheless, Anwar’s wrongheaded quest to be Malaysian Prime Minister doesn’t help in achieving any of the above.

Indeed, his insistence on asserting that there will Parliamentary crossovers by Sept 16 will hinder the reform agenda. He has deliberately stoked the political temperature and in turn, allowed himself to be distracted from the real task of coalition building.

Nonetheless, Anwar’s return to the centre-stage has led to an unprecedented reconfiguration of power – a shift that has forced the Malaysian elite to address glaring weaknesses in governance and politics.

We must remember – whatever happens with Saiful Bukhari scandal and the crossovers – that without Anwar’s energy and continuous political legwork there would be no Pakatan, no opposition pact and therefore no dramatic victories along the west coast of the peninsula.

Only Anwar could have united such disparate forces and hammered out some measure of trust and cooperation between Hadi Awang, Nik Aziz, Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh.

Love him or loathe him, he prompted and then benefited from the tectonic activity that resulted in March 8 tsunami. Before he pulled it off, no one had thought that such a grouping was possible.

This Herculean achievement may be his enduring legacy, even if the grouping is still fragile and prone to fragmentation.

He admitted to “minor rumblings on the ground,” but I’m afraid my conversations with Pakatan figures indicate a serious lack of cross-party communication.

Still, it might sound strange to be talking about Anwar's “enduring legacy" when he himself – at least according to our meeting – is fully planning to secure the Premiership by mid-September. But the Pakatan, with its fraying internal linkages, may be unsustainable as long as he remains distracted by his quest to seize power. I think he’s lost the plot.

Anwar should be focusing his energies on building the coalition and strengthening the bonds between the three parties. The limited interaction between the DAP and PAS is a particular concern.

Only he can bridge the gap between the predominantly ethnic Chinese socialists and the Islamists. If he can’t be bothered, the nett result will be failure.

It’s as if Anwar, the former Deputy Prime Minister and global thought-leader, can’t bring himself to discuss, negotiate and then hammer out solutions to issues in Ipoh, Alor Star, Shah Alam, Kota Baru and George Town. Is politics in small-town Malaysia so beneath him?


Malaysians voted for the Pakatan because we wanted a better and more responsive form of government, especially at the state level. Whilst, we were tired of Barisan’s high-handedness, corruption, we definitely don’t want instability and political tightrope walking on a daily basis.

Anwar is in danger of forgetting that the mandate he received from the Malaysian people is a “qualified” mandate.

We entrusted him to help lead five states and to commit himself to the process of building a genuine and workable consensus within Pakatan that would in turn create a system of administration that was fairer, less corrupt and more attuned to the needs of all Malaysians.

We did not give him the mandate to occupy the Premiership.

Source: TheStar.com.my

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The State Of The Web - Summer 2008

An illustrated collage of stuff that's happening on the web right now.

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Venezuelan Mendoza crowned Miss Universe

By Adrees Latif

NHA TRANG CITY, Vietnam (Reuters)
- Miss Venezuela, Dayana Mendoza, was crowned Miss Universe 2008 in Vietnam's resort city of Nha Trang on Monday.

The 22-year-old brunette was given her crown, made of white and yellow gold and precious stones, by last year's winner, Riyo Mori of Japan, at the pageant finale watched by nearly a billion television viewers worldwide.

"I am excited. I cried a lot. I am really glad I made it," Mendoza, the 57th winner of the title, later told reporters.

The professional model has said her "express kidnapping" in Venezuela a year and a half ago taught her to remain calm in stressful situations.

"It is something that happens in my country and that's why I want to raise my voice and say violence is not the answer," she said when asked about the incident.

Mendoza, an aspiring interior designer, was among four finalists from Latin America, including first runner-up Taliana Vargas, 20, from Colombia.

The rest of the top five were from the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Russia.

This year's event went more smoothly than the 2007 pageant in Mexico, which was marked by protests, a banned dress and the withdrawal of Miss Sweden after critics at home complained the contest degraded women.

However, misfortune befell Miss USA for a second straight year. During the evening gown parade, Crystle Stewart of Texas slipped on the runway. She finished in the top 10.

A year ago in Mexico, Rachel Smith also lost her footing and landed on her bottom. She finished fifth.

The annual Miss Universe pageant -- which tries to present itself as something more meaningful than a swimwear parade -- was first held in Long Beach, California, in 1952.

The event was taken over in 1996 by U.S. real estate mogul Donald Trump.

Communist-led Vietnam spent nearly $20 million on the event, including $7 million on a new resort and convention centre to host the pageant, in a bid to promote tourism to the Southeast Asian nation.

After celebrating at home with her family, Mendoza will spend her year-long reign traveling the world to speak out on humanitarian issues.

"I think I will jump on my family and they will jump on me. I want to have my mum's food," she said.

(Writing by Nguyen Nhat Lam; editing by Darren Schuettler)

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Oasis Salvation


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Ancelotti Hails Imminent Ronnie Arrival





















Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti has hailed Ronaldinho as a “champion”, as the Italian press believes that the Brazilian will complete his move to San Siro within the next 48 hours.

One of the main transfer soap operas of the summer could be finally drawing to a close, as the Italian press is absolutely adamant that Ronaldinho will sign for Milan within the next couple of days.

Yesterday was an exhausting day, with Milan general manager Adriano Galliani engrossed in negotiations with Ronaldinho, his brother and agent Roberto de Assis, Barçelona president Joan Laporta and the club's Director of Football, Txiki Begiristain.

The end result was that Barcelona will now take "two or three days" to mull over Milan’s offer, having allegedly told Ronaldinho that, in case his move is not completed within 72 hours, he will mandatorily have to join the rest of the squad for training.

Premiership side Manchester City have bid more than double that of Milan for the Brazilian (€32 million), and offered a €12million-a-year contract, but the player is only interested in moving to Milan.

The Italian media believe that Ronaldinho will certainly be a Milan player by Friday at the very latest.

"The important thing is to have champions and Ronaldinho without a doubt is one of them," said Rossoneri coach Carlo Ancelotti.

"Quality is our trademark and it will continue to be whether Ronaldinho arrives or not. "Our aim is as usual to win while providing a good show. This is Milan."

Roberto Rossi (Goal.com)

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Olive Riley, World's Oldest Blogger 1899-2008


Australian blogger Olive Riley was 107 years old when she started her blog, The Life of Riley. Olive was 108 when she died Saturday in a nursing home. Another case where I teared up over the death of someone I never met, but felt that I knew through her internet presence and her wonderful stories. (via Geek Like Me)

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Bad Parenting...


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Divorce Cake (as opposed to Wedding Cake) !!!



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Top Ten Transfers Of The Summer (July 14)

The factors taken into account are

(a) form over the last 12 months,
(b) potential, and
(c) transfer fee involved.

10. Hatem Ben Arfa (Lyon to Marseille)
Last Week: 9

Marseille have lost Samir Nasri to Arsenal, but have managed to land the perfect replacement in the man Arsene Wenger had his sights on to start with. What is more, they can keep him for a year or two, and make a cool 8-10 million profit.

9. Alberto Gilardino (Milan to Fiorentina)
Last Week: 8


On the face of it, it looks like the Viola have signed an unhappy, out of form striker. However, that was just what Adrian Mutu's move from Juventus looked like not so long ago. The fans will help him forget Milan in a hurry, and rediscover the striker that wowed Calcio when at Parma. The partnership with Mutu can be backed to produce some special moments in the Champions League.

8. Seydou Keita (Sevilla to Barcelona)
Last Week: 7

The best signing Barcelona have made this season, particularly in light of the way their soft underbelly was exposed on the road last season. With him partnering Yaya Toure in the middle, it will ensure that the likes of Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi do not get bullied, and also get the full license to thrill. 15 million euros worth their value.

7. Ezequiel Garay (Racing Santander to Real Madrid)
Last Week: 6

What a capture! Barcelona seemed to have him in the bag, but hesitated a little too much as they waited for Frank Rijkaard to leave and a new coach to take charge. Madrid managed to snatch Sergio Ramos a few years ago, and what a signing that has turned out to be. This one may be no different.

6. Deco (Barcelona to Chelsea)
Last Week: 5


On the wrong side of 30, a first look suggests that he is past it, but nothing could be further from the truth. There is a fire that burns in him as we saw during Euro 2008, and he has a lot more to give to football. He is not what Frank Lampard is, as he will never score as many goals. But then, he is also everything Lampard is not. Superb creativity, a great eye for the game, and an ability to run the show that has seen him win the Champions League with two different clubs. Finally, Chelsea have a player who can orchestrate the pleasing football their owner wants. With Ballack and Essien set to play around him, it will be an ominous midfield.

5. Amauri (Palermo to Juventus)
Last Week: 4

The Brazilian-Italian striker made it to number three after earning himself a long overdue move to a top four club, but now slips down to five. He has already shown his potential with Palermo, and the prospect of him getting some top quality service from the Juve midfield is simply mouth-watering. Champions League, here he comes.

4. Daniel Alves (Sevilla to Barcelona)
Last Week: 3

Chelsea, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester United – these are just some of the clubs that have queued up for him over the last 18 months or so. However, it is Barcelona who land him after some difficult negotiations with Sevilla. Perhaps a touch overpriced at 30 million euros (he would have been number one on this list at 20m), but then again, he is the best attacking full-back this world has seen since Roberto Carlos.

3. Samir Nasri (Marseille to Arsenal)
New Entry

The highly rated French international is the latest to join the clan of young Gunners. Many view him as a replacement for Aliaksandr Hleb, while others go a step further and call him the next Zidane. He has had some problems with injuries, but let's hope those were exceptions as opposed to the rule. The prodigous playmaker joins in at number three.

2. Luka Modric (Dinamo Zagreb to Tottenham)
Last Week: 2

The hottest young Croatian was snapped up by Spurs despite the interest of clubs such as Barcelona and Chelsea, and what a signing it has already turned out to be. Looks set to become the jewel in Juande Ramos' midfield next season. He remains number two on our list.

1. Mathieu Flamini (Arsenal to Milan)
Last Week: 1

The underrated Frenchman was one of Arsenal's best players last season, and Milan's signing of him is most definitely the biggest coup of the summer thus far. That it was a free transfer makes it even better.

Abhishek Thakur (Goal.com)

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Fazura Lebih Kenal Dulu Tengku I....


Dicilok dari Murai.com.my

Ketika ini juga, Murai Batu tengok akhbar tabloid tempatan sudah pun menyiarkan wajah anak raja yang dikatakan Tunku I itu. Bukan itu saja, ibu Fasha sendiri dilaporkan dah memberikan statement mengenai hubungan Tunku I dengan Fasha dan nampak macam merestui sangatlah hubungan mereka itu.

Mungkin agaknya satu keluarga Fasha sekarang sudah mula terbayang-bayang Fasha sebagai seorang permaisuri yang memakai selempang darjah kebesaran dan mahkota ala-ala Queen Rania gitu.

Tapi Murai Batu dengar-dengar, dalam sehari dua ini, pihak istana terbabit akan membuat kenyataan. Tak pastilah kenyataan mengesahkan, menafikan, menerima atau menolak.

Sejak Jumaat lalu, ramai wartawan dan editor dah mula berbisik-bisik dan sedang
menunggu apa yang pihak istana ingin katakan. Kita tunggu bila esok lusa menjelma.

Yang penting, dalam program Kring! Kring! di Astro Ria tengah hari tadi, pelakon Gol & Gincu, Fazura mengaku bahawa dia lebih dulu kenal dengan Tunku I dan dialah yang kenalkan Tunku I kepada Fasha. Kiranya kawan tolong kawanlah ni? Eeee, baiknya. Kenalkan Murai Batu pula dengan mana-mana anak raja Fazura, boleh tak?

Nampak gaya betul sangatlah orang bergosip sebelum ini bahawa Tunku I dulu pernah berkawan rapat dengan Fazura. Cuma sekarang Fazura akui dah berkawan rapat pula dengan seorang lagi kerabat, Tengku B, berusia 23 tahun, dari Pahang yang khabarnya sedang menuntut di Melbourne, Australia. Hai, dulu kalau zaman Datuk A,B, C, sekarang pula zaman Tunku X, Y, Z !

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Chevy Creates World’s First Billboard Made from Pennies, By-passers Strip it Clean


Chevrolet attracted scroungers with its 20-foot billboard advert made entirely from one-pence coins in London’s New Oxford Street. The billboard installed last week, consisted of 20,000 pennies was created to advertise the 769,500p (£7,695) Aveo. In just 30 minutes, Londoners had stripped the billboard clean. [More photos here]

via

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Video: Amazing Bird Formation

Very surreal. [via]

Source: A Welsh View

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Positive Reforms for GLCs

Comment by AZMAN UJANG


KUALA LUMPUR (The Star): When Datuk Seri Idris Jala was made the head honcho of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) in December 2005 in the aftermath of the airline’s biggest financial loss, few Malaysians knew the name of this low-profile Shell Malaysia executive.

Uppermost on everyone’s mind in corporate Malaysia was: Can he fix the massive problems in MAS? The national carrier was an award-winning airline but ironically bleeding red.

But this relative unknown has turned MAS around.

MAS epitomises the continued progress in Malaysia’s government linked companies’ (GLCs) transformation programme, now 40% complete and into its third phase of implementation from 2007 to 2010.

According to Khazanah Nasional Berhad, the Malaysian Government investment-holding arm, which acts as secretariat for the programme, financial and operational progress on GLCs has been encouraging.

Aggregate earnings of the 20 largest GLCs (G20) listed on the Bursa Malaysia jumped a whopping 91% to RM19.1 billion last year from RM10 billion in 2004.

Market capitalisation of the G20 increased by 58% or RM85 billion over the last four years, outperforming the broader Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) marginally by 0.7%.

Besides MAS, some of the key listed companies in Khazanah’s investment portfolio include Telekom Malaysia Berhad, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, CIMB Group, Proton Holdings Berhad, PLUS Expressway Berhad, UEM World Berhad, UEM Builders Berhad and PT Bank Lippo.

Khazanah, which holds and manages the government’s commercial assets and undertakes strategic investments, has stakes in more than 50 companies with assets valued in excess of US$20 billion (RM64bil).

One of Khazanah’s latest coup is its role as master planner for the Iskandar Malaysia special economic zone, a development corridor in Johor launched in November 2006.

Through its subsidiaries, Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) and the UEM Group, it has chalked up RM36.1 billion of committed investments in 19 months or 77% of the RM47 billion targeted investments for the first five years.

But it is the MAS turnaround that has raised eyebrows and given corporate Malaysia many useful lessons, given the notion that, even at the best of times, airlines do not give great returns.

“With oil prices soaring to unprecedented levels and remaining there, the prognosis for the industry is really bleak.

“More airlines are going to be forced out of business while the majority of us are going to bleed red ink yet again,” Jala wrote in an open letter to the media recently.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), jet fuel has risen 92.7% to US$168.10 (RM543) a barrel compared with a year earlier.

What sets MAS apart from other GLCs is that it is Malaysia’s truly global brand.

And Jala, after seeing to its turnaround that has proven many critics wrong, is not about to let up.

“We will continue to innovate to cut costs and increase revenue. We are committed to delivering the highest quality at affordable prices under our vision of being the World’s Five Star Value Carrier,” he said.

This might sound a contradiction but actually MAS is succeeding, having increased customer satisfaction despite lowering the cost of food in some sectors, he said.

The airline has won so many international awards that matter and continues to be rated as having the best cabin service of any airline in the world.

With such a great brand name, MAS looks set to blaze the trail for other GLCs to make it big on the world stage. – Bernama

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You Be The Driver...


Do you have what it takes to be a BMW Sauber Formula 1 Team Driver? Of course you don’t, but you can give it a try at least.


Source: Attuworld

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Hubungan 'Dingin' PAS-KeADILan Kecewakan Rakyat

Maulana Purnama
Tue Jul 15, 08 6:36:54 am MYT


Suasana hubungan dingin antara PAS dan KeADILan walaupun dapat difahami tetapi mengecewakan rakyat. Siapakah rakyat yang dikecewakan itu? Bukan saja mereka yang menyokong Pakatan Rakyat dan mengundi pembangkang semasa pilihan raya 8 Mac lalu. Rakyat yang tidak menyokong Pakatan Rakyat juga kecewa dengan pertembungan antara KeADILan dan PAS.

Ini kerana rakyat mahukan kerajaan yang berfungsi untuk rakyat. Pilihan raya sudah berlalu dan kerajaan sudah pun dibentuk. Apa yang diharapkan oleh rakyat adalah kestabilan di mana segala janji pilihan raya dapat ditunaikan dengan sebaik mungkin. Bukan saja Barisan Nasional harus tunaikan jani pilihan raya mereka di peringkat persekutuan dan negeri-negeri yang dikuasainya, tetapi juga kerajaan-kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat di lima buah negeri.

Tidak kiralah sama ada PAS yang menguasai Kelantan dan Kedah, atau DAP yang menguasai Pulau Pinang dan Perak, ataupun KeADILan di Selangor tetapi kesemuanya adalah kerajaan-kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat yang menjanjikan harapan baru kepada rakyat.

Maka kunci kestabilan politik di negara ini ialah hubungan baik antara PAS dan KeADILan, diikuti pulka hubungan baik antara ketiga-tiga parti Pakatan Rakyat iaitu PAS, KeADILan dan DAP. Bukan itu saja, BN dan Pakatan Rakyat juga mesti kerjasama dalam kedudukan masing-masing dalam hubungan antara kerajaan persekutuan dan negeri.

Perhatian parti-parti politik baik dalam Pakatan Rakyat mahupun BN mestilah kepada rakyat, yang mahu hidup selesa dan bahagia di bumi bertuah di Malaysia . Jangan adanya mana-mana ahli parti politik tidak kira dari mana mensia-siakan harapan rakyat. Berpolitik secara keterlaluan dengan meletakkan kuasa sebagai rebutan adalah sesuatu pengkhianatan kepada rakyat.

Dalam hal ini, Pakatan Rakyat memikul amanah yang lebih besar daripada BN kerana mereka berjuang atas nama rakyat. Bukan saja Pakatan Rakyat itu membawa nama rakyat, tetapi sememangnya ideologi Pakatan Rakyat adalah berorientasikan rakyat dan bukannya atas kepentingan kumpulan-kumpulan politik semata-mata.

Perbezaan besar antara BN dengan Pakatan Rakyat ialah kedudukan parti di dalamnya. Kalau BN, ia didominasi oleh UMNO dan ia melayani hemogeni Umno itu sendiri. Malah bukannya Umno, tetapi kumpulan yang menguasai Umno. Tetapi tidak bagi Pakatan Rakyat. Semua parti di dalamnya adalah setaraf. Tidak ada yang dominan atau mempunyai hemogeni walaupun kedudukan kerusi masing-masing adalah berbeza.

Bukan saja PAS, KeADILan dan DAP setaraf, tetapi parti-parti lain yang bertanding di bawah lambang KeADILan seperti Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) dan Parti Demokratik MNalaysoa (MDP) adalah berdiri setaraf. Semua ahli politik Pakatan Rakyat mewakili semua parti yang berada di dalamnya. Mereka berdiri mewakili kesemua rakyat.

Justeru, tidak ada seorang ketua parti yang boleh dikatakan mengetuai Pakatan Rakyat. Anwar Ibrahim juga bukannya ketua bagi Pakatan Rakyat walaupun parti-parti di dalamnya menerima beliau sebagai calon Perdana Menteri.

Justeru diingat, semua ketua parti Pakatan Rakyat adalah setaraf. Baik Wan Azizah Ismail, Abdul Hadi Awang, Lim Guan Eng mahupun Nasir Hashim dan Wee Chee Keong. Walaupun Anwar disebut sebagai ketua umum atau de facto leader KeADILan tetapi secara rasmi presiden adalah Wan Azizah.

Pakatan Rakyat digerakkan melalui idealisme rakyat untuk menolak amalan politik BN yang dilihat sebagai tidak memenuhi aspirasi rakyat. Kepimpinannya pua dilakukan secara kolektif atau bersama, tidak ada sesiapa yang lebih. Justeru, mana-mana pemimpin yang cuba mendominasi Pakatan Rakyat tidak akan berhasil kerana yang memimpin gabungan parti itu ialah rakyat sendiri.

Apa yang jelas rakyat mahukan hubungan baik antara parti-parti Pakatan Rakyat. Sebarang kedinginan apatah lagi ketegangan antara PAS dngan KeADILan, ataupun PAS dengan DAP tidak akan disenangi oleh rakyat, yang akhirnya akan menolak Pakatan Rakyat jika keadaan ini berterusan.

Justeru semua aktivis PAS, KeADILan, DAP, PSM dan MDP wajar sedar bahawa tanggungjawab mereka adalah keada rakyat dan apa yang rakyat hendak adalah perpaduan lebih kukuh dalam Pakatan Rakyat. Sebarang suara yang memecah belahkan hubungan baik antara parti, apatah lagi sehingga tumbangnya Pakatan Rakyat akan dipandang sebagai pengkhianatan kepada aspirasi rakyat.

Selepas kerajaan-kerajaan negeri ditubuhkan, apa yang diharapkan oleh rakyat adalah Pakatan Rakyat dapat berfungsi dengan baik melalui kuasa yang ada. Sememangnya BN melalui kerajaan persekutaun akan cuba meminggirkan kerajaan negeri. Tetapi pasti rakyat pun akan sedar perkara ini dan apa yang diperlukan ialah pendedahan bagaimana kerajaan persekutuan cuba pinggirkan kerajaan negeri.

Dalam keadaan tertekan ini, sememangnya dapat dirasakan betapa perlunya Pakatan Rakyat menguasai kerajaan persekutuan. Dari segi politik, tindakan segera untuk mendapatkan kuasa adalah suatu yang bijak. Itulah yang dikehendaki oleh Anwar apabila melakukan rancangan untuk mengajak ahli-ahli BN melompat.

Tetapi adakah perkara ini berpatutan? Perlu diingat bahawa rakyat yang mengundi mereka itu sememangnya memilih BN. Maka adalah suatu pngkhianatan jika mereka melompat parti.

Pengundi tidak mengundi hanya kepada calon tetapi parti. Maka sebarang tindakan berpolitik harus mengambil kira aspirasi rakyat.

Sumber: Harakah

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The Jolie-Pitts Welcome a Son & Daughter

By Dana Kennedy and Kristin Boehm

Originally posted Sunday July 13, 2008 02:30 AM EDT


Brad Pitt was at Angelina Jolie's side as she gave birth to a son and daughter Saturday at the Fondation Lenval hospital in Nice, France, PEOPLE has confirmed.

"The babies are doing well. The operation went just perfectly," Dr. Michel Sussmann told PEOPLE Sunday. "Angelina is in very good spirits. Brad Pitt was at her side. He was there and all was well."

Sussmann confirmed the Nice-Matin newspaper report that Jolie gave birth to a boy, Knox Leon, and a girl, Vivienne Marcheline, by Cesarean section on Saturday night. Knox weighed 5.03 lbs, and Vivienne 5 lbs.

The twins are the fifth and sixth children for Jolie, 33, and partner Brad Pitt, 44, who are already parents to Maddox, 6; Pax, 4; Zahara, 3; and Shiloh, 2.

"The mother and father are very, very happy," Sussmann told PEOPLE.

The doctor told the Associated Press that the Cesarean was moved forward "for medical reasons" so that the babies could be born "in the best conditions." He also said Jolie is expected to stay in the hospital for a few days.

On July 1, Jolie checked in to the Fondation Lenval hospital to await the births. The family has been living in the south of France since this spring.

Jolie recently told Entertainment Weekly that she was surprised – but not daunted – when she learned she was having twins. "It did shock us, and we jumped to six [children] quickly," she said. "But we like a challenge."

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TMI Shares Could Have Been Oversold

By SHANNEN WONG


PETALING JAYA (The Star): TM International Bhd (TMI), whose shares have come under selling pressure after announcing the acquisition of a 19% stake in Idea Cellular of India for US$1.82bil, could have been oversold.

Since the announcement of the acquisition on June 25, its share price had fallen from RM7 to an intra-day low of RM5.45 on July 4, compounded by the weak market sentiment due to foreign selling following political concerns in the country.

However, this week, TMI’s share price had gradually recovered from the sell-off and closed at RM6.45 yesterday, up 30 sen, as investors’ sentiment perked up on news of a smooth political leadership transition. Its volume yesterday was 3.4 million shares.

Analysts said the recent sell-down was unwarranted even if TMI had paid too much for the stake.

TMI president and group executive officer Datuk Jamaludin Ibrahim had earlier admitted “we may be paying a premium now so that we would be in the best situation to compete with bigger players in the fast growing Indian market.”

Despite the high premium, an analyst with a local research house said the acquisition was positive as it provided TMI with immediate access to a market of 697 million, which was 68% of India’s total population.

It is maintaining a “buy” call on the counter with a target price of RM7.90.

Asked about the strong resistance at RM6.70 as shown in the technical chart, the analyst said: “As long as the current sentiment holds, we would not discount the possibility of the share price continuing to appreciate past RM6.70 to reach the RM7.90 target price.”

However, Aseambankers Research head Vincent Khoo said the upside of the stock could be limited even though it was recovering from its oversold position after the announcement of the acquisition.

Kenanga Investment Bank and AmResearch have “hold” recommendations on TMI with a target price of RM7.35 and RM7.90 respectively. Meanwhile, CIMB Research maintained its “neutral” call with a target price of RM8.

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Fergie’s Assistant Queiroz is Portugal coach

LISBON: Carlos Queiroz has succeeded Luiz Felipe Scolari as coach of Portugal's national team.

The 55-year-old Queiroz, who had been Alex Ferguson's assistant at Manchester United for the past four years, signed a four-year contract with the Portuguese football federation yesterday.

The Portuguese will be presented to the media on Wednesday.

Portugal had been looking for a coach after Scolari ended his five-year spell to join Chelsea after the European Championship.

Queiroz made his name developing youth teams in Portugal before a first spell as national coach from 1991-94.

His coaching career has included stints at Real Madrid and Sporting Lisbon, as well as at teams in the United States, Japan and the United Arab Emirates.

He quit his post as Ferguson's assistant once before, joining Real Madrid in 2003. An unsuccessful season resulted in him being fired and he returned to his previous job in July 2004. – AP

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Will Second Broadband Network See Daylight?

COMMENT
By B.K. SIDHU(The Star)



THERE is a proposal in the telecoms marketplace for the creation of a new broadband infrastructure (NBBI) to co-exist with the RM11.3bil high-speed broadband (HSBB) project that Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) is about to undertake.

This NBBI, if allowed to go through, would mainly serve the sub-urban and rural areas. More importantly, the idea was mooted to narrow the digital gap between the urban and rural areas that has been widening the past few years.

An overlap of infrastructure between HSBB and NBBI in the urban centres can be expected, even though the proposal says the overlap will be small. It will, however, stimulate competition. For now the broadband segment is already a monopoly and the situation will not change with the HSBB coming on stream.

The future is all about high-speed fixed broadband as this will be the cable that brings all the entertainment and information into our homes and offices. If there is no competitive landscape, what will be the impetus to drive quality, pricing and innovation?

The focus of HSBB will be in major towns under its first phase and there are no details as to when the rural areas will get broadband access under the HSBB planning.

Allowing TM to build the HSBB means one party controls the entire fixed broadband infrastructure in the country even though other players can lease the infrastructure from TM.

But, up to now, some players claim they do not know what portion of the HSBB is meant to improve the last mile connectivity, how much of backbone infrastructure will be expanded from TM’s current core network, and what intelligent networks will be put in to ensure there is real high-speed access. A peek into the future pricing for the lease of the HSBB infrastructure is necessary so that players will know what to expect later.

That is why a second infrastructure is needed, not just to create competition in the urban centres, but more importantly, to uplift the lives of Malaysians in both urban and rural areas. Leaving the rural areas out will create an imbalance and that is why the proposal targets schools and universities as some of the major end users of the NBBI.

The cost to cover a little of urban, and populated areas of sub-urban and rural areas will only be about a quarter of what will be spent on HSBB. The promoters are looking at about RM3bil.

To them, the funding should come from the universal service provision fund, which is in excess of RM3bil. Every year telecom players contribute a certain percentage of their profits towards the fund, which was set up to help wire up the rural areas, among other reasons.

The NBBI should be structured in a manner that it is independently managed to avoid monopoly and the infrastructure should be open to all players at the same rates.

To some experts, the NBBI is a do-able project that will help the nation. If AirAsia can co-exist with national carrier Malaysia Airlines by creating a market for itself, surely there is room for a new infrastructure to co-exist with HSBB.

And, if countries like Singapore can be planning their third network, surely competition will spur growth and innovation and a school-going child in a rural area should not miss the broadband wave.

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Jamie Lynn Spears & Daughter, Maddie Brian Aldridge





When he impregnated Jamie Lynn Spears with Maddie Briann, Casey Aldridge not only had better sex because it was unprotected - his net worth increased manifold

via

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Apa Kata Fasha Sandha tentang Rizal & Nora Danish ?





via

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Why Did The Chicken Crossed The Road ?

BARACK OBAMA:
The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a CHANGE! The chicken wanted CHANGE!

JOHN MCCAIN:
My friends--that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.

HILLARY CLINTON:
When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure -- right from Day One -- that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.......

DR. PHIL:
The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on 'THIS' side of the road before it goes after the problem on the 'OTHER SIDE' of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his 'CURRENT' problems before adding 'NEW' problems.

OPRAH:
Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I ' m going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

GEORGE W. BUSH:
We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

COLIN POWELL:
Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road...

ANDERSON COOPER - CNN:
We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

JOHN KERRY:
Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

NANCY GRACE:
That chicken crossed the road because he's GUILTY! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN:
That chicken crossed the road to steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

MARTHA STEWART:
No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.

DR SEUSS:
Did the chicken cross the road?
Did he cross it with a toad?
Yes, the chicken crossed the road,
But why it crossed I've not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY:
To die in the rain. Alone.

JERRY FALWELL:
Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth? That's why they call it the "other side". Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media white washes with seemingly harmless phrases like 'the other side." That chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain and as simple as that.

GRANDPA:
In my day, we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS:
Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its life long dream of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE:
It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON:
Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

BILL GATES:
I have just released eChicken2007, which will not