Blackest Night #4- As the undead rise, the various heroes of Earth tried to turn back the tide. The main character of this issue is the much-maligned Barry Allen. The returned Flash spread the word on how to fight the Black Lanterns and actually seems cool for the first time since his return. However as much love as writer Geoff Johns has for Barry Allen, the real star is Ivan Reis. The art of this series is going from strength to strength. At the end when the central Black Ring appeared in Coast City; that scene was nothing short of greatness! Brilliant!
Astro City: Astra #2- What happen after school? For Astra Furst, the choices are limitless and this issue showed why. I find it interesting that this series is the first real cosmic series from Astro City but the real meat of the story is Astra. The story was never forced and the smooth transition of Astra from a child to an adult was great. A short series but great nevertheless.
Nova #30- The Nova Crops officially grew by 1 this issue. As powerful and as experience Richard Rider is, he is not a veteran and new guy Philo will fill up that role in the Corps. I’m not sure about yet another new base for the Worldmind, they are moving a little too much for my taste. If the writers want a base for the Corps, then they should have a permanent one and not have the team moving every now and then. Outside that, this is a solid issue.
Guardians of the Galaxy #19- Wow! When I saw Kang the Conqueror on the cover, I went, “Oh no.” Luckily Kang only showed up for half the issue and his involvement exactly made sense. Starlord’s group finally got back to the right timeline (with the help of Kang), and confront Magus Warlock. By the end, about half of the Guardians of the Galaxy were no more and the rest were left picking up the pieces. Wow! Writers Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning hit a homerun here and if not for the poor art, this issue would have been perfect.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Agassi's Bombshell
Andre Agassi dropped a bombshell on the world of tennis when he admitted that he used a banned drug (crystal methamphetamine) while he was still playing, but escaped a suspension by blaming his positive test on the spiked drink of a former assistant.
Personally I don’t think much of this. I was never a fan of Agassi but he isn’t the first elite athlete to be caught using drugs, and it’s a recreational drug, not a performance enhancing one. Agassi isn’t even the first tennis player to be caught (Martina Hingis come to mind); however I have to question how in the world the ATP accepted Agassi’s reason.
I tested positive for crystal meth because my assistant spike his drink with crystal meth and I accidentally drank the drink. I mean that reason was ridiculous! How could they accept such a reason?
Don’t get me wrong. I admired and applaud Agassi’s guts for admitting to using the drug (his autobiography “Open” would have sold well even without the revelations) but I have to wonder about the anti-doping system the ATP has in place. Agassi’s excuse was ridiculous and I’m amazed the ATP accepted it.
In the end, what’s so shocking to me wasn’t that a tennis player used drugs but how easy it is to get away with it even when you are caught.
Personally I don’t think much of this. I was never a fan of Agassi but he isn’t the first elite athlete to be caught using drugs, and it’s a recreational drug, not a performance enhancing one. Agassi isn’t even the first tennis player to be caught (Martina Hingis come to mind); however I have to question how in the world the ATP accepted Agassi’s reason.
I tested positive for crystal meth because my assistant spike his drink with crystal meth and I accidentally drank the drink. I mean that reason was ridiculous! How could they accept such a reason?
Don’t get me wrong. I admired and applaud Agassi’s guts for admitting to using the drug (his autobiography “Open” would have sold well even without the revelations) but I have to wonder about the anti-doping system the ATP has in place. Agassi’s excuse was ridiculous and I’m amazed the ATP accepted it.
In the end, what’s so shocking to me wasn’t that a tennis player used drugs but how easy it is to get away with it even when you are caught.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Hardly LTA's Fault
A transport survey in Singapore of some 10,500 households has shown that despite efforts by the Singapore authorities to get more people on public transport, the percentage of Singaporeans using public transport has actually went down. The survey found that 59% of respondents used public transport last year, down from 63% in 2004.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) says that this is due to a lack of major infrastructural improvements in public transport during that period. Sorry but the LTA is wrong here. There’s no lack of major infrastructural improvements in public transport, just try driving along Cross Street and see all the MRT construction there. The biggest elephant in the room is the population explosion in Singapore.
Singapore’s population grew these past few years. For the past few years, Singapore has accepted more than 100,000 foreigners per year and much like the housing problems Singapore is currently having, the population growth has exceeded the public transport capacity and that’s why the percentage went down instead of up.
With all the new Masterplan by LTA, all the new traffic schemes like Mandatory Give—Way to Buses, or all the new MRT lines coming out like the Downtown Line, the percentage of Singaporeans using public transport should (in theory) go up instead of down. The fact that it went down instead has nothing to do with LTA and more to do with the Singapore government’s policy as a whole.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) says that this is due to a lack of major infrastructural improvements in public transport during that period. Sorry but the LTA is wrong here. There’s no lack of major infrastructural improvements in public transport, just try driving along Cross Street and see all the MRT construction there. The biggest elephant in the room is the population explosion in Singapore.
Singapore’s population grew these past few years. For the past few years, Singapore has accepted more than 100,000 foreigners per year and much like the housing problems Singapore is currently having, the population growth has exceeded the public transport capacity and that’s why the percentage went down instead of up.
With all the new Masterplan by LTA, all the new traffic schemes like Mandatory Give—Way to Buses, or all the new MRT lines coming out like the Downtown Line, the percentage of Singaporeans using public transport should (in theory) go up instead of down. The fact that it went down instead has nothing to do with LTA and more to do with the Singapore government’s policy as a whole.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
New NBA Season
It’s one of those things last year when the Los Angles Lakers won the NBA title last year. It was inevitable. Even discounting the fact that no one thought the Orlando Magic had a chance of upsetting the Lakers, you just know Kobe Bryant was going to win a ring without Shaquille O’Neal sooner or later.
Will the Magic and Lakers meet again this season? I doubt it.
In the East, I don’t think the surprising Magic will be able to match their run last year. The Cleveland Cavaliers may have taken Shaq to deal with Dwight Howard but I think the finalist from the East will be the Boston Celtics. They were the favorites entering the playoffs last year till Kevin Garnett got injured. Garnett is okay now and with Rajon Rondo, Ray Allan and Paul Pierce all in the last year of their contracts, it’s now or never for the Celtics. That desperation will see them to the finals this season.
In the West, I just have to go with the San Antonio Spurs. They have Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Michael Finley, Antonio McDyess, Theo Ratliff, and Richard Jefferson. That’s 7 current or former All-Stars on their team. As good as Kobe is, I just can’t see anyone beating against the Spurs this year.
A Celtics-Spurs finals this year with the Spurs winning.
Will the Magic and Lakers meet again this season? I doubt it.
In the East, I don’t think the surprising Magic will be able to match their run last year. The Cleveland Cavaliers may have taken Shaq to deal with Dwight Howard but I think the finalist from the East will be the Boston Celtics. They were the favorites entering the playoffs last year till Kevin Garnett got injured. Garnett is okay now and with Rajon Rondo, Ray Allan and Paul Pierce all in the last year of their contracts, it’s now or never for the Celtics. That desperation will see them to the finals this season.
In the West, I just have to go with the San Antonio Spurs. They have Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Michael Finley, Antonio McDyess, Theo Ratliff, and Richard Jefferson. That’s 7 current or former All-Stars on their team. As good as Kobe is, I just can’t see anyone beating against the Spurs this year.
A Celtics-Spurs finals this year with the Spurs winning.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Crazy Sport Fans
Sport fans can be crazy at times. Soccer fans are in general crazier than others.
We can now add to that; Liverpool FC fans are crazier than most soccer fans. Last week Liverpool lost a game to Sunderland 1-0 by one of the oddest goals in football history. In the 5th minute of the match, Sunderland striker Darren Bent fired a shot on goal, the ball hit a beach ball that was lying on the field, took a big deflection off the beach ball and went into the goal.
A 16 year old fan has been fingered as the culprit who threw the beach ball onto the field and has received death threats on the matter. I'm sorry but those fans are crazy. I saw the game and while I found the goal funny, I failed to see how this fan was the reason for Liverpool’s defeat. The goal was scored in the 5th min, Liverpool had 85mins to claw back the score and frankly I can’t remember the Sunderland keeper having a hard save to make.
Liverpool was poor, Sunderland rightfully won the game and I dared anyone who saw the game to tell me otherwise. Not only that, I didn’t remember the Liverpool players complaining too bitterly about the beach ball being a “foreign object” and that the goal shouldn’t be allowed to stand. Liverpool lost the game, and they deserved to lose the game. The fan was unlucky, but he wasn’t the reason Liverpool lost the game.
The ironic thing in all this; the teenager was a Liverpool fan and the beach ball had the Liverpool-brand on it. Sometimes it’s just fate.
We can now add to that; Liverpool FC fans are crazier than most soccer fans. Last week Liverpool lost a game to Sunderland 1-0 by one of the oddest goals in football history. In the 5th minute of the match, Sunderland striker Darren Bent fired a shot on goal, the ball hit a beach ball that was lying on the field, took a big deflection off the beach ball and went into the goal.
A 16 year old fan has been fingered as the culprit who threw the beach ball onto the field and has received death threats on the matter. I'm sorry but those fans are crazy. I saw the game and while I found the goal funny, I failed to see how this fan was the reason for Liverpool’s defeat. The goal was scored in the 5th min, Liverpool had 85mins to claw back the score and frankly I can’t remember the Sunderland keeper having a hard save to make.
Liverpool was poor, Sunderland rightfully won the game and I dared anyone who saw the game to tell me otherwise. Not only that, I didn’t remember the Liverpool players complaining too bitterly about the beach ball being a “foreign object” and that the goal shouldn’t be allowed to stand. Liverpool lost the game, and they deserved to lose the game. The fan was unlucky, but he wasn’t the reason Liverpool lost the game.
The ironic thing in all this; the teenager was a Liverpool fan and the beach ball had the Liverpool-brand on it. Sometimes it’s just fate.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Activate Laughter
In the fight against pirated games, game developers have come out with some pretty crazy nonsensical scheme but this one takes the cake!
IGN had just reported that legitimate early owners of the PC version of Borderlands can’t play the game. Reason is because Borderlands PC requires online activation…and that would work until its official release date!
I was laughing my guts out right now. Never a fan of online activation to begin with, this is just beautiful to me. To sell a game people can’t use because your online activation service is not working…where’s my pirated copy of Borderlands?
IGN had just reported that legitimate early owners of the PC version of Borderlands can’t play the game. Reason is because Borderlands PC requires online activation…and that would work until its official release date!
I was laughing my guts out right now. Never a fan of online activation to begin with, this is just beautiful to me. To sell a game people can’t use because your online activation service is not working…where’s my pirated copy of Borderlands?
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Who is my MP?
Now everyone knows that the People’s Action Party (PAP) has crafted policies to better suit the ruling government in elections. A majority of Singaporeans accept that if you live in an opposition ward, then your facilities will not be as good as those in government wards.
However the official reply from the Ministry of National Development (MND) to justify why opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) should not manage the Government's lift upgrading program (LUP) in their wards had brought verbal jiu-jitsu to a whole new level.
In a confusing reply to a question by opposition MP Low Thia Khiang, MND press secretary Lim Yuin Chien argue that the MND should not work with opposition Members of Parliament on the LUP because 'The will of the people expressed in general elections is to elect a government for the country as a whole; and not to elect separate local governments for each constituency.'
Really?
If that’s case, why are there different constituencies then? I could have sworn that when people vote for their MP in Hougang, they are…you know, voting for their MP in Hougang! Is Mr. Lim arguing that Mr. Low Thia Khiang who won the seat of Hougang is NOT the MP of Hougang? Is Mr. Lim arguing that Mr. Low Thia Khiang is instead the MP of…Sembawang? Who is the MP of Hougang then if the will of the people expressed in general elections is NOT to elect their representative for each constituency?
I live in the Tanjong Pagar GRC, a GRC won by the PAP in the last election in a walkover. However if what Mr. Lim said is correct, then the PAP is NOT the representative of my constituency because we are not voting for our MPS! And yes, it’s a walkover to boot! Who is my MP then?
Note: The Tanjong Pagar GRC team is led by MM Lee Kuan Yew
However the official reply from the Ministry of National Development (MND) to justify why opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) should not manage the Government's lift upgrading program (LUP) in their wards had brought verbal jiu-jitsu to a whole new level.
In a confusing reply to a question by opposition MP Low Thia Khiang, MND press secretary Lim Yuin Chien argue that the MND should not work with opposition Members of Parliament on the LUP because 'The will of the people expressed in general elections is to elect a government for the country as a whole; and not to elect separate local governments for each constituency.'
Really?
If that’s case, why are there different constituencies then? I could have sworn that when people vote for their MP in Hougang, they are…you know, voting for their MP in Hougang! Is Mr. Lim arguing that Mr. Low Thia Khiang who won the seat of Hougang is NOT the MP of Hougang? Is Mr. Lim arguing that Mr. Low Thia Khiang is instead the MP of…Sembawang? Who is the MP of Hougang then if the will of the people expressed in general elections is NOT to elect their representative for each constituency?
I live in the Tanjong Pagar GRC, a GRC won by the PAP in the last election in a walkover. However if what Mr. Lim said is correct, then the PAP is NOT the representative of my constituency because we are not voting for our MPS! And yes, it’s a walkover to boot! Who is my MP then?
Note: The Tanjong Pagar GRC team is led by MM Lee Kuan Yew
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)