Sharing a Beautiful Supplication...

Close your eyes and take a deep breath....hold it....and say this supplication in your heart with confidence that He is indeed hearing your soul whisperings.....

"Dear GOD, make my love for You the most beloved thing to me, and my fear for You the most fearful thing to me, and remove from me all worldly needs and wants by instilling a passion for meeting You, and when You have given the people of the world the pleasures of their world, make the coolness of my eyes (pleasure) in worshipping You."

iPhone - the gizmo the world will aspire to have

Wow, I saw it in the news the other day when Steve Jobs introduced iPhone to the World..... actually he was at the Macworld in San Francisco.

That iPhone sure looks Gorgeous! Can't wait to have it.... wait a minute......is that my 2007 aspiration? How cheap.....

Alamak, being a S'porean, you know lah..... our obsession with handphones. That's why every corner which used to stand a mamak's shop now becomes a handphone shop. I'm sure that has more staying power than the previous bubble-tea stalls.

Now there's an issue about the iPhone name which actually belongs to Cisco.

As mentioned in the Economic Times:

Mark Chandler, senior vice president and general counsel, Cisco said, “There is no doubt that Apple’s new phone is very exciting, but they should not be using our trademark without our permission.”

But Apple too, most definitely wants to ride on the success of its ‘i’ brand of products like iPod, iTunes, iMac, and now iTV too. Before anything could come out of the negotiations with Cisco, Jobs just went ahead and announced the launch of the iPhone.

Anyway with all these impending legal tangles, I'm not too sure when I will get my hands on this beauty.......till now, myN73 still rules.....

Church of Scientology's Another Big Face?

As I mentioned in the earlier posting, the move of Beckhams to USA has nothing to do with soccer.

The latest news now is that Tom Cruise whom a great friend of the Beckhams has already in the works to have this couple converted to the Church of Scientology.

What is Scientology, any way?

Click here to find out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology

Since I know 'nuts' about this faith, I'm unable to comment much. Maybe would after doing some real reading on it.

Here's some news about the Beckhams story:

The Post reported that Beckham said "a late-night phone chat with Cruise helped seal his decision to move stateside."
"I talked with [Cruise] for about an hour last night and an hour the night before," Beckham said at a news conference held yesterday to discuss his five-year, $250 million deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy.
"I asked him for his advice. ... He's a very wise man and a very good friend of mine. To have his experience and have him explain some things to me, that's a big favor," Beckham said in the press conference.
"He couldn't speak any higher than what he was saying about L.A."
The Post alleges Posh has "accepted church literature from her new friends."
It had been reported earlier that Posh will be cast as alien bride in "The Thetan," a Cruise-backed movie about an immortal spiritual being Scientologists believe is present in all of us.

ThakSin in Sin

Thaksin, the ousted Thai prime minister, is in Singapore on a four-day private tour, according to The Straits Times.

The paper quoted a spokesman for Singapore's Foreign Ministry as saying that Thaksin arrived here Friday and had no official engagement during his visit.
"What he does is personal to himself and we don't comment on personal matters," the spokesman said.

Anyway, the situation in Thailand is currently very bad.

1st came the Bangkok deadly bombing on New Year's eve and then came the capital control measures and yesterday, a police officer and an off-duty firefighter were fatally shot in southern Thailand, in the latest attacks that police suspect were carried out by Muslim insurgents.

Even in football, the mighty Thais were held 1-1 draw with Myanmar in the recent Asean Footbal Championship

Sure, praying may Thailand back to normalcy once again...

2007 - Weather Calamities?

Began the year with heavy rains & flash floods here & our Johore neighbours. The rain has been falling daily except one or two days break.

Just heard the news of a quake in Japan which sparked tsunami warning.

A lot has been said about global warming, el nino & other natural disasters which pointing their fingers on man - the destroyer of the planet.

Now I'm starting to sound like volunteer of GreenPeace.

BUT, we all can do something to 'save' the planet - our home.

You DON'T have to be a SUPERMAN to do it.

HOW?

1. Turn off lights.
2. Turn off other electric things, like TVs, stereos, and radios when not in use.
3. Use rechargable batteries.
4. Do things manually instead of electrically, like open cans by hand.
5. Use fans instead of air conditioners. Insulate your home so you won't be cold in winter.
6. Use less hot water.
7. Whenever possible, use a bus or MRT, or ride your bike or walk. Don't drive.
8. Try to buy organic fruits and vegetables if you're concerned about pesticides. (Organic food is grown without man-made fertilizers and/or pesticides).
9. Don't waste products made from forest materials.
10. Use recycled paper and/or recycle it. Reuse old papers.
11. Don't buy products that may have been made at the expense of the rainforest.
12. Support products that are harvested from the rainforest but have not cut down trees to get it.
13. Get other people to help you in your cause. Make and/or join an organization.
14. Avoid products that are used once, then thrown away.
15. Buy products with little or no packaging.
16. Encourage your grocery store sell environmentally friendly cloth bags for people to use when they shop, or bring your own.
17. REDUCE, REUSE, & RECYCLE.
18. Buy recycled products.
19. Don't buy products if animals were killed to make it.
20. When go to Sheng Siong, pls bring a bag - do not use plastic bags, ok?

Mourinho leaving Chelsea?

Alamak sorry for loading you guys with my thoughts on EPL......but need to mention it lah if not cannot sleep. Letting this off my chest is like insomniacs needing valium to sleep.....

OK.

Isn't it REALLY a BIG joke that the reason for Chelsea's current dismal performance is due to their lacking in strength? There was no good substitutes for John Terry, Petr Cech...so on & blah, blah.....

Did we forget that Chelsea has spent more than £500m on players since Mourinho took over Chelsea? That's more than half £1 billion!!! Remember how they bullied others into getting big names to sign for them. Remember how they "play out" Man Utd into getting Robben & John Obi Mikel?

And now Mourinho said he leaving Chelsea because no funds for him to spend during this January transfer-window?

CRAZY, man!!!!!

No wonder I'm seeing almost like no one is wearing Chelsea jersey on the streets anymore...unlike a year ago when everywhere you turn there's one.

Beckham - Bye Spain, Hello USA

There is no denying of Sir Alex Ferguson shrewd soccer management.

One clear example in his dealings with Daud Bakar.....oops I mean, David Beckham.

When he off-loaded Beckham for £25m fee to Real Madrid, most people taught Sir Alex was out-of-his-mind.

But Sir Alex knew at that time what others failed to see that David Beckham was already a spent force. This 3-year stay at Real Madrid is an evidence of this. Another proof is England's exit out from the World Cup last year.

Now, Beckham is heading to USA for an astonishing USD 250 million! Almost 1 million-a-week pay!! Isn't that crazy? When Beckham is not even as good as Zidane, Ronaldinho or even the young Cristiano Ronaldo.

But wait a minute, the deal is NEVER about soccer.

IT'S ABOUT EVERYTHING except soccer.

Durai gives up e-a-s-i-l-y???

It was pretty unusual to see Durai gives up his fight so early.

Why?

It is because all that lawyer Shanmugam mentioned was true?

Any other reasons?

I sincerely know not....

Other S'porean news of the week:

1) SM Goh & wife went for official 6-day visit to Morocco. Mr Goh said the aim of his visit to Morocco was two-fold - to develop the political relationship further and to deepen economic ties. After that, they will be visiting Abu Dhabi for 3-day visit.

2) Health Minister, Khaw Boon Wan announced that patients can soon use up to $450 of their Medisave savings to pay for daily hospitalisation charges. That is $50 more than the current withdrawal limit of $400. Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan made the announcements when he was invited to speak at a TV Forum on MediaCorp TV's Channel 8.

Here's some links for remembrance:-

http://www2.ch8.mediacorptv.com/nkf2002/story08.htm

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/158246/1/.html

"It was NOT just this building vandalised.....but also my very heart" - said me, the Mat Rocker saddened by the NKF saga.

Overwhelmed by Success?

I'm saddened to know that Whitney Houston had to auction off her personal belongings to raise funds to pay debts.

Isn't that sad?

Not many people in whole wide world can sing as Beautiful as Whitney.

She is truly blessed with that amazing vocals. Remember how she remade & re-record that old song by Dolly Parton," I will always love you"?

Why are Hugely Famous Pop Stars seemed to have such trouble handling success?

Just to mention some examples:

a) Britney Spears just ended her short marriage.

b)Lil' Kim found guilty of conspiracy and perjury concerning a Manhattan shooting. She had to serve a year-and-a-day at the Philadelphia Detention Center in 2005.

c) Dionne Warwick, the 66-year-old singer of "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" was arrested for marijuana possession at Miami International Airport in 2002. The charges were later dropped when Warwick agreed to complete a drug treatment.

d) George Michael, who I think one of the best singer-songwriter in the pop-world,was arrested for "engaging in a lewd act" in a Beverly Hills public toilet in 1998. In February 2006, he was arrested for drug possession as well as being cited for nodding out in traffic in May and again in October 2006. He has also announced publicly that he is gay.

e) Michael Jackson, The King of Pop, was dogged by allegations of sexual misconduct with young boys, first in 1993 and most recently in a high-profile trial in 2005, Jackson was finally acquitted.

There are many more POP STARS....the list goes on & on...

Any answer why?

My humble opinion is that these Stars, though with huge successes, fame & money, are having deficits in the areas of Spirituality.

They may not know what they really want.

Searching in vain for happiness.

This may have lead them to all the self-inflicted abuses.

Poor thing.

MY 2007 WISHLIST

Here's my 2007 Wish List (not in any particular order):

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a) PEACE ON EARTH

Where all killings stop. No more blood have to be spilled in the NAME of WHATEVER, religion, politics, money....pls STOP!!!

b) RETURN OF TRUE ISLAM

In Iraq, we have the Sunnis & Shites, both are Muslims yet killing one another. In Palestine, HAMAS & FATAH shooting at each other when they both ackonwledge ALLAH is their God & Muhammad, His Final Messenger. Crazy Right?

So, I'm truly convinced that all these fights are NOT about Religion but more of POLITICS & Lust for POWER.

c) NEW PRESIDENT of USA

Yes, I know that next presidential election is in 2008. But just wishing....you'll never know. I would rather have the the MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD say a minor lie, "I don't smoke grass, I'd just inhale" rather than invading another country with a VERY BIG LIE & causing more than half a million people to perish...

d) LESS SEX on Local TV & Media

It's really strange that on one hand, we have our hands full of teen pregnancies, abortions, HIV cases, sex-related crimes....yet Channel 5 still relishing promoting adult-themed shows on prime time. I was shocked about a show "Nip/Tuck" advert on TV which a lady mentions, "I put semen on my face every night" & that advert goes on & on. YUCKS, provocative? YES. Bad Taste? YES

Now credible media like ST is also getting raunchy. Their newly launched digital media, STOMP is now introducing EPL BABES in provocative poses....ALAMAK, what happen? What does football got to do with these gorgeous babes? What these babes know about SOCCER......the only Fergie they know is from the band, Black Eyed Peas. Poor Sir ALEX...

Yes SEX sells, but BAD TASTE doesn't..

I'm not trying to be preachy....but seeing these all the time is really hunting the mind and the......, you know lah sometimes, the heat gets you....

ALAMAK, actually I have many more wishes.....but think I'd stop here....

Above: A SCENE from NIP/TUCK shown on Channel 5.

Increase the Employers CPF Contributions NOW!!!!

The recent months till now, everything is rising. Remember the one-sided conversations with that Crazy Cab Driver on my earlier posting: http://rockingmat.blogspot.com/2006/12/animal-noises-from-cabby-it-was-quite.html

Now the BUZZ on Increasing the Employers' Contribution to Employees' CPF.....yup, that's the kind of increase we want even for an Unemployed Person like me......well actually I'm partially unemployed since most of my work is on a freelancing basis...like teaching rock guitars, giving tuitions...and blogging? Any full-time blogger out there? Can't believe there is any....if there is, well, actually they are STILL getting hand-outs from Mummy & Daddy...pretty sad, huh...

BACK to the CPF story, well some sicked Economists believe that the increase should NOT be done now since it may send a wrong signal to potential investors and also current employers may start looking elsewhere to do their business due to the increased cost.

Well, what can I say is this:

We are having this Mid-Income SQUEEZE here in this FINE City. Because, for the lower income, yes there are a number of help from the Govt that they can take advantage of.

But if you are employed with 2K a month & asking Govt for help, all I can say is wait long-long lah Brother......better count the hairs at your armpits...YUCKS!! sorry for the analogy.

BOSSES should be aware about the increased Cost of Living of their employees. It is real absurd when there an increase Cost of Living & no co-relation to the increase of income, thus Leading to the REAL SQUEEZE.

So Govt, PLEASE UP THOSE CPF!!!!

Saddam's DEAD, so what now?

Ok Folks, now Saddam's dead & buried. SO HOW, eh?

SO Iraq's in GREAT PEACE now? You bet...

Sorrylah let's talk a bit about this SADDAM story especially youths like me...believing too much the news on the TV.

Oh GOD, thanks heavens for the Internet...so we don't GET CHEATED by those SPIN DOCTORS who think they can CONNED us into believing the World is Square & Iraq under Saddam was full of Weapons of MassDestruction...... & so on...

OK...back to Saddam's story....starting with.....

The Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) & the BIG Involvement of USA

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During that time, to USA, the enemy was Iran. USA shot down Iranian Airplane full of civilians. USA also destroyed Iranian whole Navy. Since Iraq was a GOOD FRIEND, USA passed satellite & strategic information of Iran to Iraq. USA thus became a SPY of SADDAM. Funny, right?

During that WAR, Iraq was found by UN to be using chemical weapons against Iranians. USA stopped any UN actions against Iraq by claiming Iran too indulged in the same weapons.

USA together with the Western World are funding Saddam, arming Him and helping Him strategically.

IRONICALLY.....And yesterday, Saddam was hanged to death - guilty of atrocities.

My caption for the above photo: When Two Bloodied Hands Met