The biggest story in Singapore football these few days is current Singapore captain Shahril Ishak who recently signed with Indonesian football club Medan Chiefs. Along with national defender Baihakki Khaizan, Shahril signed with the Indonesian club in a 2 year deal that’s worth about $15,000 per month.
Compare to Europe this deal may not seem like much, but in this region this is a big deal. In Singapore, both footballers may only get around $4,000-$5000 a month. However not everyone is happy about the deal. The problem is that Medan Chief plays in the breakaway Indonesia Premier League, a league that is not sanctioned by the country's football association. This means that Shahril and Bhaihakki may not be able to play for the Singapore national team as they are playing in a non-sanctioned league.
The media in Singapore has been critical of the duo for putting their interest before their duty to play for the Singapore national football team. However most players (and ex-players) in Singapore support the duo decision to sign with Medan Chiefs. I add my voice in support. Come on, this club is offering the duo a 3 times increase in salary for the next 2 years and you expect them to say “No”? If someone headhunt me and offers me a 3 times increase in salary, I will resign my job immediately.
Come on, this is Singapore! This is a non-country, as stated by our leaders, so do you truly think the duo will put representing their non-country before their careers? In this non-country, money comes before loyalty.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Comics this week
Brightest Day #20- With the series winding down, writers Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi have well and truly dial up the action. Aquawar conclude the fight between Aquaman, Jackson, Black Manta and Siren. A very well choreographed battle between the two sides made interesting by 2 things; the introduction of Mera and Aquagirl, and how kick ass Aquaman truly is. It’s been awhile since we saw Aquaman summoning an army of sea life to aid him and the page where he finally did it was great. This issue also hints at why the White Ring return the 12 heroes and villains to life. With its end coming, Brightest Day is getting better and better.
X-23 #6- Every hero need a villain. Batman has Joker, Captain America has the Red Skull, and it look like X-23 will have Mr. Sinister. Personally I’m not sure about this. I understand you pretty much need a big bad villain in the series that is introducing a relatively new character to the public but I would much prefer writer Marjorie Liu to let X-23 find her feet first. Throwing a big villain like Mr. Sinister into the fray immediately may be a problem. Basically, I fear X-23 may be overshadowed by the villain. Hopefully that will not be case and I am truly hopeful because thus far, Liu has done good work with the series.
X-23 #6- Every hero need a villain. Batman has Joker, Captain America has the Red Skull, and it look like X-23 will have Mr. Sinister. Personally I’m not sure about this. I understand you pretty much need a big bad villain in the series that is introducing a relatively new character to the public but I would much prefer writer Marjorie Liu to let X-23 find her feet first. Throwing a big villain like Mr. Sinister into the fray immediately may be a problem. Basically, I fear X-23 may be overshadowed by the villain. Hopefully that will not be case and I am truly hopeful because thus far, Liu has done good work with the series.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Only In Malaysia!
Even within Southeast Asia, Malaysian courts have a reputation for ridiculousness (cough, Anwar, cough). However this latest case I read is so funny even Malaysians are laughing about it.
A Malaysian man was fined RM1,500 for scratching his private parts. Now when I first read the headlines, I thought he was a molester or something but it turn out this wasn’t the case.
The man, Mr. Ahmad Hairul Nizam Hussin, was in his own house when he scratched his private parts after a morning bath. A female neighbor who was hanging clothes along the corridor of her home saw him through his open window and bam!
Mr. Ahmad said that he never knew the woman was even there, much less looking into his house. Considering that he did this at 6am in the morning, that seem extremely reasonable. Too bad for him the judge didn’t think so. Faced with a default three months' jail term, Mr. Ahmad wisely just pleaded guilty to outraging the modesty of the 41-year-old school teacher and paid a RM1,500 fine.
Now Mr. Ahmad do not dispute the fact that he had exposed his genitals to the woman but come on! This happen at 6am in the morning in his own house, so is it that unreasonable to believe that this was an accident?
Whatever happen to live and let live? I can’t believe something like this can even get to court, much less that the judge issued a RM1,500 fine on it. Hopefully, only in Malaysia!
A Malaysian man was fined RM1,500 for scratching his private parts. Now when I first read the headlines, I thought he was a molester or something but it turn out this wasn’t the case.
The man, Mr. Ahmad Hairul Nizam Hussin, was in his own house when he scratched his private parts after a morning bath. A female neighbor who was hanging clothes along the corridor of her home saw him through his open window and bam!
Mr. Ahmad said that he never knew the woman was even there, much less looking into his house. Considering that he did this at 6am in the morning, that seem extremely reasonable. Too bad for him the judge didn’t think so. Faced with a default three months' jail term, Mr. Ahmad wisely just pleaded guilty to outraging the modesty of the 41-year-old school teacher and paid a RM1,500 fine.
Now Mr. Ahmad do not dispute the fact that he had exposed his genitals to the woman but come on! This happen at 6am in the morning in his own house, so is it that unreasonable to believe that this was an accident?
Whatever happen to live and let live? I can’t believe something like this can even get to court, much less that the judge issued a RM1,500 fine on it. Hopefully, only in Malaysia!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Another Bust On The Way
With Thor, X-Men: First Class, Captain America: The First Avenger, the new Batman movie all coming out, there is going to be a glut of comic book movies. And it is not going to stop!
With all the top tier comic book characters taken, secondary and third tier characters are being mined for the box office. The latest is Preacher. Director D.J. Caruso is going to adapt the series into a movie.
Now I know there had been talk for a long time about adapting the comic book to the big screen but haven’t we learned anything from the bust that were The Losers, Jonah Hex and Scott Pilgrim vs The World?
History has shown that secondary and third tier comic book characters are not going be box-office hits! Preacher is great (I have the first four issues of the series) but it is a cult series. The fanbase is small, even among comic book fans, so how well is it going to do with a wider audience?
My guess is not well.
With all the top tier comic book characters taken, secondary and third tier characters are being mined for the box office. The latest is Preacher. Director D.J. Caruso is going to adapt the series into a movie.
Now I know there had been talk for a long time about adapting the comic book to the big screen but haven’t we learned anything from the bust that were The Losers, Jonah Hex and Scott Pilgrim vs The World?
History has shown that secondary and third tier comic book characters are not going be box-office hits! Preacher is great (I have the first four issues of the series) but it is a cult series. The fanbase is small, even among comic book fans, so how well is it going to do with a wider audience?
My guess is not well.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Addiction & Games
There had been reports of people being addicted to online gaming. In Asia, this is especially a problem. In Beijing, a 30 year old man died after playing an online game for 3 straight days.
This is but the most recent case as reports had surfaced before in South Korea. In Vietnam, the folks have had enough. The Ministry of Information and Communication in Vietnam has called for a nightly ban on online gaming across the country between 10pm to 8am. According to reports from Vietnam, there will be a block on access to online games each day from 10pm to 8am.
Frankly, I don’t agree with this ban. Despite agreeing with the reason behind the move, I can’t see the ban working. The ban doesn’t stop people from playing from 8am to 10 pm and even then, people can play off-line game between 10pm to 8am (the ban period). Basically I don’t see the ban working because I see addiction as the problem, not games.
Games by themselves, no matter how fun, are not addictive! Online games do not kill people and anyone who thinks otherwise is confusing gaming with addiction. It’s two different things.
This is but the most recent case as reports had surfaced before in South Korea. In Vietnam, the folks have had enough. The Ministry of Information and Communication in Vietnam has called for a nightly ban on online gaming across the country between 10pm to 8am. According to reports from Vietnam, there will be a block on access to online games each day from 10pm to 8am.
Frankly, I don’t agree with this ban. Despite agreeing with the reason behind the move, I can’t see the ban working. The ban doesn’t stop people from playing from 8am to 10 pm and even then, people can play off-line game between 10pm to 8am (the ban period). Basically I don’t see the ban working because I see addiction as the problem, not games.
Games by themselves, no matter how fun, are not addictive! Online games do not kill people and anyone who thinks otherwise is confusing gaming with addiction. It’s two different things.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Protests Spreading
After Tunisia, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak followed. After Tunisia and Egypt, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi seem like the most likely to follow. However, there is one huge difference with Gaddafi. He is not going away quietly.
Gaddafi's forces have cracked down fiercely on demonstrators, with some reports stating fight jets are being used to bomb protesters. His son Al-Islam Gaddafi also warned of civil war if the protesters do not back down. In some ways, this is very much in the keeping of Gaddafi’s image.
In his 41 years of rule, he has faced down America and the international community before, so it’s hard to imagine him backing down from his own people. With a mounting revolt against his rule on the cards, the world is now faced with a huge problem.
What to do if the leaders in the Middle East refused to step away? With protests spreading throughout the Middle East, do we back the strongman in the region with their promise of stable rule or the protesters with their desire for chaotic freedom?
Decisions, decisions, decisions! Either way, we are living in interesting times.
Gaddafi's forces have cracked down fiercely on demonstrators, with some reports stating fight jets are being used to bomb protesters. His son Al-Islam Gaddafi also warned of civil war if the protesters do not back down. In some ways, this is very much in the keeping of Gaddafi’s image.
In his 41 years of rule, he has faced down America and the international community before, so it’s hard to imagine him backing down from his own people. With a mounting revolt against his rule on the cards, the world is now faced with a huge problem.
What to do if the leaders in the Middle East refused to step away? With protests spreading throughout the Middle East, do we back the strongman in the region with their promise of stable rule or the protesters with their desire for chaotic freedom?
Decisions, decisions, decisions! Either way, we are living in interesting times.
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Condom Heist
Everyone heard of the million dollar bank heist right? The romantic bank robbery that has been immortalized in movies like Heat and The Town, that net the robbers millions of dollars! In Asia, who needs a bank?
In Malaysia, 3 thieves had managed to pull off a heist worth over $1.5 million. However don’t expect a movie about it because these guys stole…condoms! Yes, according to Malaysian police, the trio stole some 725,000 condoms worth $1.5 million.
Yes, condoms! What’s even funnier is that the trio seen to have gotten away with it! Although they were caught, the condoms are still missing. All $1.5 million worth of them!
Wow! I never knew condoms were worth so much but I guess that doesn’t matter as long as the heist works. The trio may be rich men when they are released.
In Malaysia, 3 thieves had managed to pull off a heist worth over $1.5 million. However don’t expect a movie about it because these guys stole…condoms! Yes, according to Malaysian police, the trio stole some 725,000 condoms worth $1.5 million.
Yes, condoms! What’s even funnier is that the trio seen to have gotten away with it! Although they were caught, the condoms are still missing. All $1.5 million worth of them!
Wow! I never knew condoms were worth so much but I guess that doesn’t matter as long as the heist works. The trio may be rich men when they are released.
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