California snapped a seven-game losing streak at Autzen Stadium -- they hadn't won there since 1987 -- and needed a close call to go their way to hang on to the victory. With 22 seconds to go, Oregon's Dennis Dixon hit receiver Cameron Colvin, who fumbled trying to reach the ball into the end zone when he was hit by Marcus Ezeff. The loose ball went through the end zone and was ruled a touchback and possession for Cal. The play was reviewed, the call stood and time ran out for Oregon (4-1, 1-1).
Oregon's Dennis Dixon, who was the only Pac-10 quarterback who had not thrown an interception, threw a pair late in the game. Dixon was 31-of-44 for 306 yards and a touchdown. It was billed in advance as a high-scoring, offense-driven game, but both teams had trouble getting into the end zone through the first three quarters.
Last season Cal defeated Oregon 45-24 at Berkeley. The loss was pivotal for the Ducks, who at the time were 4-0 and ranked 11th. Oregon went on to lose five of its next eight games for a 7-6 finish. Cal, at the time ranked 16th, went on to win five of the next seven and wrap up the season 10-3 as the co-conference champions with USC.
At first glance, I read the headline as "Thai PM praises Malaysia's three ASS" but after noticing that it should be asses for multiple ass, the reality sunk in and I stop imagining whose nice cleavage, sexy, solid asses the Thai PM praised? It couldn't be our PM's or his son-in-law's asses,though.
But just before I could read on what the three Es the General Surayud was referring to, my mind drooled over the es teler which is a must whenever I visit Indonesia. Yummy! and what other better things to blog about during this fasting month than this icy cold 'mix of avocado-jack fruit-coconut-cincau drink topped with condensed milk and shaved ice' Indonesian specialty beverage.
I first tasted es teler back in 1998. It was homemade es teler Adi prepared after I argued with him, who would want to put in avocado and jackfruit into his or her beverage? But, it was a heavenly beverage you shouldn't miss if you visit Indonesia next time. I don't know whether there's any place here serving nice es teler? Or maybe I could get Famil to make es teler for me since he has good hands in cooking :-)
If you don't dare to eat anything from the stalls by the street, which would serve better foods but awful ambience, you can still try es teler in Es Teler 77 restaurant chain - which also sells bakso, mie ayam and siomay, among others.
And in case you're in some sort of emergency while you're there (like being struck by earthquake or you run out of money after buying so many bateks or mukena for your in-laws or whenever you use your credit card for purchases, the message that appear was "do not honor" or when you received sms from your spouse who just realozed that you're in Indonesia instead of attending an outstation meeting in Penang (and she realized it after the credit card company accidentally called your home number to confirm that you're making purchases in Indonesia), don't panic, just head to Es Teler 77 and enjoy this Panik!
== By the way: 1) The 3 Es Thai PM was referring to are education, employment and entrepreneurship. Go read the full article yourself, and... 2) My colleague just told me you can get nice es teler in Restoran Garuda in Kg Baru
The Pac-10 has been one of college football's strongest conferences this year, thanks in part to the undefeated starts of No. 6 California and 11th-ranked Oregon. One of those teams will suffer its first loss when the Golden Bears visit the Ducks on Saturday in a matchup of two of the country's highest-scoring offenses.
California (4-0, 1-0) has scored at least 34 points in each of its four wins, totaling 166 - 13th-most in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Among Pac-10 teams, only Oregon (4-0, 1-0) has more points, as the Ducks are tied for seventh in the nation with 194. Cal and Oregon join No. 1 Southern California in the Top 25, making the Pac-10 the only conference with three teams in the top 11 of the AP poll. Before this season, the Pac-10 hadn't had three teams ranked that high since Nov. 27, 2005.
This will be the second game against a ranked opponent for Cal, which beat then-No. 15 Tennessee 45-31 in the season opener Sept. 1. Oregon, meanwhile, will be facing its first real test after winning each of its first four games by at least three touchdowns. The Ducks trailed by as many as 10 points Saturday against Stanford but scored the last 34 to pull away for a 55-31 victory - matching their highest point total since Nov. 19, 2005.
Jonathan Stewart - the only Pac-10 player with more rushing yards than Cal's Forsett - had his third straight 100-yard game with 160 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Dennis Dixon threw for 367 yards and four touchdowns - both career highs - and has 11 passing touchdowns without an interception this season.
Last year against Cal, however, was a different story. Forsett outgained Stewart 163-25, and Dixon threw three interceptions in the Ducks' 45-24 loss. It was the first of five regular season defeats for Oregon, which had won its first four games before visiting the Bears.
California leads the all-time series, 37-30-2, but the Ducks have had the edge in recent years, taking eight of the last 10 meetings dating to 1994. Oregon has a seven-game winning streak against Cal at Autzen Stadium, where the Bears last tasted victory (20-6) in 1987. Last season, California capitalized on four UO turnovers and won 45-24 in Berkeley.
Thierry Henry is marrying a 31-year old Spanish actress, Paz Vega. Oppss.. not this Henry, it's another Henry, at least Henry to my eyes :-)
The wedding invitation card is out, the bride's reception in Kelantan will be on the third raya or 15th October. While my friend's reception in Lipis will be on 20th October. I heard Siti Nurhaliza, from a neighboring village, will perform that day but somewhere else.
I went to my friend's place yesterday to get the invitation card and sent sedulang hantaran which he prefers me to sponsor than a set of arcoroc or arcopal drinking glasses what a typical wedding gift I planned to buy as a wedding present. Not long after I came, the aunt and uncle to my friend's late wife dropped by at his house.
And, instead of talking about my friend's preparation for his big water bill payout day, the short session ended up as a brief matchmaking session for me and honestly, I was blushed throughout the session. After asking some simple questions, Aunt Faridah asked me one big question, "are you sure you're not seeing anyone special?" and before I could answer the question, my friend spontaneously answered, "mana ada dia ni...." and my response to Aunt Faridah was just, "yeah, he knows me better.."
And I swear, Aunt Faridah knows lots of people. She even mentioned few names working in the same place where I work. Why not, she's making her fortune by selling this Amway thingy.
So, she did list down few candidates and after understanding my specs (yes my specs ladies...) she asked for my number and I willingly and happily give my number to her. After Aunt Faridah and her husband left, the session was followed up with a small pep talk by my friend about all this marriage things. And man, I never ever felt readied before than what I feel from last night until now.
I don't want to elaborate further, we'll just see what happens next and the deadline has been set. And.. if this blog is not updated, please understand that I'm away and busy printing posters (something like in the picture on the right), going around cities, putting them up in strategic locations, answering queries from and screening potential candidates, and all the mess things one supposed to do.
Ok, let's not steal the limelight from my friend, at least until 20th October :-) Congrats bro!
== My specs ladies... to those who are interested, please email me for further details. One thing I can assure, if you're someone like Charlize Theron, you're definitely in!
For the past two or three weeks, it seems like we don't have much problems or issues in the country. Oh well, the economy is in good state - Ringgit strengthens (than the weak US Dollar), economic corridors are being developed all around the country at the same time, the goverment now can afford to give free education, corporate companies are now in good 'hands'.
Socially, we just celebrated our 50th anniversary in peace and harmony, political climate is in the 'best' state under the administration of the current prime minister and his able ministers. And the government has pledged not to hike price of petrol which gives us one less problem/issue for us.
The only issue worth discussing for the past weeks was the price of chicken. That's all...
As the media had not much of sensational issues to tell, the case of missing girl Nurin Jazlin which ended with her brutal murder was the highlight of primetime news day in and day out.
And again, people especially whose prefix is Datuk or Tan Sri came out to issue their own version of comments, statements, pledge, whatever...
WTF (times 5)?!
And there is this Tan Sri who made a press conference in condemning neighbors for not being alert on what's happening with fellow neighbors, in this case, the missing Nurin Jazlin. WTF #1, I seldom heard of this Yayasan Pencegahan Jenayah Malaysia (MCPF) come out with education campaign or advertisement on tv or media, or anything significant whatsoever.
And putting the blame on the neighbors? That's WTF #2. It's just like blaming our neighbors for our cats or dogs to stray away from our house and not refraining our cats and dogs from 'poo-poo'ing in our neighbors' backyard. Blame it on neighbors!
WTF #3.. they called a press conference just to tell the public to get their children to carry whistle around and blow it in the case of emergency. The foundation said, they'll distribute some thousands of free whistles. Come on, you don't need to have a press conference for something cost RM2 each, especially when the country is mourning on the death of that poor kid. Or maybe the whistle costs them RM200 each, you may never know as happened in Kementerian Belia dan Sukan, when they bought a screwdriver at RM229.94.
WTF #4, the foundation has launched this whistle campaign (although not much awareness programs were done) four months ago, which they pledged to distribute 10,000 free whistles. So far, after four months, they've distributed 8,000 whistles. Come on, what so hard about distributing whistles?! You don't need to do background checks on the kids or see whether their parents income would qualify the kids for free whistles...
WTF #5, only 10,000 whistles? Mind you, we have some 8.6 million population of below 15 years old. And the 10,000 whistles are just a meager 0.1% and what are they shouting all this for? A cheap publicity?! Or is it when you're in that position, you just need to say or do something to justify your position or existence?
Let's give a round of applause to all these WTFs!
==
I'm considering to change the title of this blog to WTF as there are so many WTFs happening around. Anyway, let's pray for adik Nurin Jazlin.
Dennis Dixon threw a career-high four touchdowns and rushed for another score, and the No. 13 Ducks scored 34 straight points and shut out Stanford in the second half of a 55-31 victory Saturday night. With Brian Paysinger out with a leg injury, Colvin became Dixon's favorite target. The senior receiver caught a career-high eight passes for 136 yards and a touchdown.
Jeremiah Johnson scored the go-ahead touchdown midway through the third quarter and Jonathan Stewart, who rushed for 160 yards on 19 carries, also scored as the Ducks (4-0, 1-0 Pac-10) started with four wins for the second straight season. Dixon, who was 27-for-36 for 367 yards, hit tight end Ed Dickson along the sideline for a 33-yard scoring toss early in the second half that made it 31-31. He also threw a pair of TD passes to Jaison Williams, who caught seven passes for 113 yards.
Oregon running back Jeremiah Johnson (24) scores a touchdown in front of Stanford safety Bo McNally (22) in the third quarter of their NCAA football game
Oregon, the Pac-10 leader in scoring and total offense, was held to 48 yards during the second quarter, when they allowed 28 points to Stanford. The Ducks recovered nicely in the second half and finished with 589 yards. Anthony Kimble rushed for 115 of his career-high 119 yards in the first half, as Stanford (1-2, 0-2) lost for the 15th time in the last 18 games. T.C. Ostrander threw for 262 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The Ducks, who entered the game third nationally in turnover margin, turned the ball over more in one quarter than their previous three games combined. The three fumbles in the second quarter resulted in three Stanford touchdowns. Dixon's errant pitch was recovered by Pannel Egboh, which led to Kimble's 60-yard TD romp down the middle of the field. Stanford linebacker Clinton Snyder, who was questionable before the game, caused and recovered a fumble that led to Kimble's 3-yard scoring run. Chike Amajoyi recovered another fumble, that one leading to Ostrander's 12-yard touchdown pass to Mark Bradford for the go-ahead score.
Matt Everson hit a short field goal just before halftime, bringing Oregon within 31-24 heading into intermission. Everson later kicked a field goal of 33 yards in the fourth quarter. The Ducks scored on their first play from scrimmage, and then scored again three minutes later. Oregon has scored first in all four of its games. Colvin's touchdown catch was his first in nearly two years. Running a post pattern, he was wide open as Dixon faked a handoff out of the shotgun and hit him in stride for a 71-yard scoring strike 15 seconds into the game.
Oregon needed six plays to score on its next possession. Penalties hurt Stanford, and the Ducks took over on the Cardinal 36. Stewart went the final 10 yards to make it 14-0 with 11:26 remaining in the opening period. Andiel Brown's 64-yard punt return set up Dixon's 4-yard jaunt into the end zone late in the first quarter to make it 21-3. Derek Belch had put the Cardinal on the board with a 39-yard field goal.
Behind a high-powered offense led by Dennis Dixon and Jonathan Stewart, Oregon cruised through its non-conference schedule. The 13th-ranked Ducks look to continue their early success and avoid the Pac-10 struggles that plagued them last season when they open league play against Stanford on Saturday.
With a fast spread-option offense, Oregon (3-0) leads the conference with 46.3 points per game and ranks third nationally in rushing with 977 yards. Each of its three games has been decided by at least 21 points. The Ducks have accumulated at least 300 rushing yards in each game this season, including 307 in their 52-21 win over Fresno State last Saturday.
Dixon had two passing touchdowns while running for 59 yards and another TD against the Bulldogs, and has already accounted for 10 TDs this season. The senior quarterback had 368 yards of total offense and four touchdowns -- three through the air -- in Oregon's 39-7 victory at Michigan on Sept. 8. Dixon has yet to throw an interception and tops the Pac-10 with a 182.6 passer rating. Stewart, who scored on an 88-yard TD run last Saturday, has 276 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries in his last two games.
With last Saturday's victory, Oregon moved up six spots in the latest AP rankings. This is the highest the Ducks have been ranked since being No. 11 last Oct. 2, though they would like to avoid a fate similar to what they suffered a year ago. Oregon won its first four games before losing six of its final nine, capped by a 38-8 defeat to BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl.
The Ducks look to keep their winning streak intact with their sixth straight victory over the Cardinal (1-1), whose last win in this series came on Oct. 20, 2001. Stewart had a career-high 168 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries in Oregon's 48-10 win over Stanford last year. Dixon passed for 236 yards, threw for one touchdown and ran for one.
The Cardinal are coming off a 37-0 victory over San Jose State last Saturday, their first win in seven tries in newly renovated Stanford Stadium. In their first six games there, the Cardinal were outscored 210-50 and never held a lead after the first quarter. Stanford gained 506 yards of offense - its most since amassing 548 against Arizona State on Sept. 22, 2001 - as sophomore Toby Gerhart had 140 yards and a TD on 12 carries. Two weeks after allowing 624 total yards - seventh-most in school history - in a 45-17 season-opening loss to UCLA, the Cardinal held the Spartans to 163 yards and recorded their first shutout since a 38-0 win over Michigan State in the 1996 Sun Bowl.
97% of Yahoo! College Pick'em users predict Oregon will win the game.
When Ramadhan comes, most of our conversations center around foods. Phrases like "Pagi tadi sahur makan apa?" or "Berbuka nanti nak makan apa?" or "Nak masak apa untuk berbuka nanti?" or "Berbuka di hotel so and so sedap lah..." or "Dekat pasar Ramadhan area there and there, lauk nya variety dan sedap-sedap" or "Nak test kuih tart ni, kalau sedap boleh order.." or "Nanti lepas zohor nak beratur ambil bubur lambuk lah.." or "Aku tak bangun sahur lah, minum air dan makan buah kurma je..." bla bla bla, bla bla bla....
Surprisingly we talk more about foods when we (are supposed to) consume less foods. It's not just you and I. Even there are more cooking programs on tv than there were in other months. And a local newspaper even had a special insert last weekend, all about pasar Ramadhan.
After 5 days of fasting, I'm already tired. People are all rushing home early (causing traffic jams all around cities) so that they can reach home early to cook for their families or to go to pasar Ramadhan to buy foods.
I normally go out from office at 5.40pm and reach home by 6.55pm, just enough to settle down for a decent buka puasa - some fruits, dates and juices. I just don't bother to go to pasar Ramadhan as by that time, not much was left that I could buy that would satisfy my taste buds.
Whatever it is, I'm tired with traffic jams... and I'll be out of town, looking for extra peacefulness of Ramadhan, away from traffic jams and without having to think what to eat, where to buy foods, and foods and foods and foods.. I'll just eat whatever served on the table.
By that means, I'll be away from computers and internet most of the times. I can be in front of computer all the time while I'm away but I choose not to. Anyway, I take this as a practice for the long Raya leave next month, when I'll be away for almost two weeks. Whether I'll survive without computer and internet, we'll see. But I'd rather be away from computer and internet than die in this manner...
== Wonder what's the main activity for those people living here? Chatting, I bet. If you couldn't find me anywhere after Sunday or my blog is not updated or you don't receive email or sms from me, look for me here, I might have migrated to Kampung Chat :-)
For a homey person like me, tv, radio and internet are what it take to keep me busy and entertained. And I don't pay cable tv or internet services just for the sake of cumulating reward points for my credit cards.
Everyone has now realized that Astro have been sucks all time and ripping off people's money all this while. Well, they're such a good sucker when it rains. Eventhough they've been around for more than 10 years, they still haven't learned how to overcome such issues during rainy days. And, giving rebates for their failure to provide services is not in their dictionary. No such thing as rebates in Astro!
Anyone remembers when they change to other satellite and we ended up paying for "services not available" message on our tv screen? And talking about billing, one day late in paying your bills equals to high telephone bills for waiting to get to talk to their operators and RM20 reconnection fees.
Yet, they suck big time on a nice Sunday afternoon. At around 3.45pm, this homey person was flipping those available channels on astro. And as I'm paying for sports package the most, compared to other packages, certainly I want to utilize these channels the most. But, to my disappointment, 3 of 5 sports channels (that's 60%) were showing golf events, at the same time.
WTF?!!
ESPN was showing Solheim Cup - women golf contest between US and Europe, Star Sport was showing Midea China Classic while the Golf Central was showing The Tour Championship. I'm fine with Golf Central for showing golf, eventhough I don't subscribe sports package to watch this channel. They have a dedicated channel for golf and yet, they're still airing golf in two other channels.
I doubt there were no other sports events took place at the time (they could even show delayed US college football) or those Astro people just too lazy to lift their asses from the comfy of being the monopolist to do research or homework or negotiate for other sports events. Or is Astro just cater elitists as golf isn't a game simply played or watched by anyone, unlike soccer. And I also doubt lots of golfers were watching as I assume true golfers should be on golf courses or in driving range on a nice Sunday afternoon.
And guess what... the Astro Ria, their prime channel was showing the repeat of 1-year old Konsert Fantasia Mawi during primetime, Saturday 9pm! And on Sunday, 2pm, they were showing the repeat of the repeat of Konsert Fantasia Mawi. Get that?
So, they're ripping off your money, aren't they? Don't you think so? I do...
Dennis Dixon threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, Jonathan Stewart ran for 165 yards and No. 19 Oregon defeated Fresno State 52-21 on Saturday. Stewart scored two touchdowns, including an 88-yard dash to the end zone, and the Ducks (3-0) outrushed the Bulldogs 307-60.
Oregon's running back Jonathan Stewart (28) out runs Fresno State's Kyle Duffy (20) and Marcus Riley (31) for a touchdown in the second quarter of their college football game
While not posting the gaudy numbers he did in Oregon's 39-7 victory over Michigan the previous weekend, Dixon was solid, completing 14-for-20 for 139 yards and running for 59 yards. In Oregon's victory over the Wolverines, Dixon had 368 yards of total offense and four touchdowns. Stewart's 88 yard scoring run was the longest ever at Autzen Stadium, and it was the longest for a Ducks player for a TD since Bob Smith ran 92 yards for a score against Idaho in 1938.
The win was Mike Bellotti's 100th as coach at Oregon at the expense of Bulldogs' six straight loss in the series with the Ducks.
Dalam mencari diriku, aku tersentuh jiwamu, salahkah aku bersatu denganmu. Jalan yang lurus kelmarin, tempatnya kita bermain, di persimpangan pecahlah haluan. Bukan kerana arus melanda muara, bukanlah juga musim berbunga, menggamit kumbang di udara. Sebenarnya hati yang mencari, kemanisan di jalan hakiki, biar tak mengerti kau ketahui. Demi Tuhan yang kita percaya bersama, ooo... Dalam mencari dirimu, kau pun menyentuh mindaku, salahkah waktu tadi bertemu. Bukan kerana arus melanda muara, bukanlah juga musim berbunga, menggamit kumbang di udara. Sebenarnya hati yang mencari, kemanisan di jalan hakiki, biar tak mengerti kau ketahui. Demi Tuhan yang kita percaya bersama... Sebenarnya hati yang mencari, kemanisan di jalan hakiki, biar tak mengerti kau ketahui. Demi Tuhan yang kita percaya bersama, ooo... Demi Dia yang Esa. Demi Dia yang kita percaya...
As usual, the Ramadhan fever shocks almost everyone of us. Our stomach feels the shock with the less foods thrown into it in the days. Instead, it has to reschedule its working hours to night time with lots and lots of food thrown in during and after buka puasa time and lots of foods were thrown in the dumpsters too. Even most mosques (if they were alive) will feel shock as suddenly they were flocked with lots and lots of people topping up their amalan during this fasting month.
Not just that, my kitchen, pots and pans and gas are also feeling the Ramadhan fever as in these two days of Ramadhan I've been utilizing them more than I've used them in the past year (excuse me, not in the day time ok...).
But, as we only feel minor shocks going into Ramadhan, a bigger shock was felt on the eve of Ramadhan as we prepare for our first terawih. An earthquake, measuring 8.4 on the Richter scale, struck our neighbor, 155km southwest of Bengkulu at around 7.10pm. It was then followed by a series of powerful aftershocks.
News said the undersea tremor could also be felt in Jakarta, 600km away and also caused high-rises to sway in neighboring Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Tsunami warnings were issued as far away as Africa but were lifted several hours later.
My early response was to sms Adi and Nina in Jakarta, wishing them well. Adi responded about one hour later saying that he didn't know about it huh? dasar! hahaha but, he's safe anyway. I didn't get any respond from Nina until yesterday when she told me that her sms didn't go through that night and she's also safe.
On the first day of fasting, more aftershocks felt, the strongest being 7.8 at around 7.50am and felt in tall buildings around KL. I was just arrived in office when announcement after announcement were made telling us to be alert and finally we were asked to evacuate the building at around 8am.
It wasn't like something really emergency as everyone was taking his or her sweet time to walk down the stairs, some even wait to take the elevator. Even the entrance to the office, which supposed to deactivate in the event of emergency, still requires a touch of access card to open. Crazy! And I still have time to grab my camera! lol... and my colleague after going two floors down was still contemplating to go up to get his laptop :-) which he didn't.
We were told to leave the building compound to a place 200-meter away and I got a nice spot up a small hill and managed to capture few pictures of people mingling with each others. And to a surprise, I've never seen pretty girls more than in the past year on that morning! Maybe, they were hiding behind their office partitions before this or was it me who was hiding?!
Anyway, the building wass cleared off any damage by the fire department and we were sent back to office after about one-hour later and there was announcement telling us to continue working. Duhhh!!!
So, if you think you had a disastrous fasting with no foods, water, cigarettes (in daytime), think about our friends in Indonesia, they have no shelters to celebrate Ramadhan. Luckily (compared to 2004 tsunami that hit Acheh), so far only 14 were reportedly died. And let's pray for them.
A dominating road victory against one of the most storied programs in college football has propelled Oregon back into the Top 25 for the first time since November. The 19th-ranked Ducks (2-0) now look to avoid a letdown when they host Fresno State on Saturday afternoon.
Behind the play of versatile senior quarterback Dennis Dixon, Oregon had little trouble in a 39-7 road win over struggling Michigan last week. Though the Wolverines appear to have one of their weakest teams in years, the dominance Oregon displayed proved it will likely be a team that can no longer go unnoticed the rest of the season. "I hope it's not just one statement, but a paragraph," said Oregon coach Mike Bellotti, whose team is ranked for the first time since it was No. 21 on Nov. 5.
Oregon has jumped out to a quick start after losing its final four games of 2006, including a 38-8 defeat to Brigham Young in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 21. On Saturday, the Ducks will try for a sixth straight victory over Fresno State (1-1) - which lost 47-45 in triple overtime at Texas A&M last week - in their final nonconference game before opening Pac-10 play at Stanford on Sept. 22.
Dixon was named the conference's offensive player of the week after accounting for 368 yards and a career-high four touchdowns against Michigan. A multi-sport star who was drafted in the fifth round by the Atlanta Braves in June, Dixon was 16-for-25 for 292 yards and three TD passes, and ran 16 times for 76 yards and a score. In two games, Dixon is 25-for-40 for 426 yards with five TDs, and has rushed for 217 yards on 31 carries with two scores. He ranks fifth in the nation with a 193.2 pass efficiency rating.
Dixon completed 23 of 36 passes for 240 yards in the Ducks' 31-24 victory at Fresno State on Sept. 9, 2006, the teams' most recent meeting. Jonathan Stewart ran 15 times for 111 yards and a touchdown Saturday for the Ducks, who are averaging 335.0 yards on the ground this season.
The Ducks will try for their seventh straight nonconference victory at home. Oregon is 26-1 at home since Bellotti took over in 1995. Fresno State hasn't won in Eugene since a 10-4 victory on Sept. 18, 1982. That was also the Bulldogs' most recent win in a series the Ducks lead 5-2.
Despite its lack of success against Oregon, Fresno State probably won't be intimidated after nearly knocking off then-No. 23 Texas A&M last weekend. Fresno State will try again for its first win over a ranked opponent since a 37-34 overtime victory over then-No. 18 Virginia in the MPC Computers Bowl on Dec. 27, 2004.
Tabik spriiiiiinnnnnnnnggggggggggg to YTM Sultan Pahang, who is also the President of the FAM for issuing this statement...
So, KJ listen, this applies to no less than you who were unanimously voted for the Timblan Presiden post and at 31, has become the youngest Timbalan Presiden in the FAM's history.
Anyway, in the article published in Malay Mail dated 12th September, the FAM issued a royal advice to the newly-elected office-bearers not to treat the national governing body as a springboard to further their interest in terms of money or political position. The Sultan also said that FAM was not for individuals seeking glamor or cheap publicity. The Sultan would also be issuing a guideline for the new faces upon his return from London, "I will be issuing the do's and don't to them. I've been in FAM for 23 years and a veteran at this game. Maybe some of the new faces are not well-versed with the inner workings of FAM."
The Sultan also said he was not happy with individuals who issued statements pertaining to FAM's activities without going through proper channels. "We work as a team. If the office-bearers have ideas, we discuss them at our level. They should not go to the media first. We work in consultation with everybody. They must toe the line, or they can be punished. They have just been voted into FAM, what do they know?"
As for note, five new faces were elected at this year's election. Four of the vice presidents are people with experiences with state FAs. KJ only learn the trade about football when he leads UPB-MyTeam for a meager 2 years. So, who else is the Sultan referring to?
And right after the FAM election, the youngest ever Timbalan President has made a press statement saying (among all), "...kelemahan paling ketara adalah masalah komunikasi di peringkat akar umbi, antara persatuan negeri dan FAM. Mesyuarat exco pertama memutuskan untuk memberi tumpuan kepada kelayakan Piala Dunia, Sukan SEA dan pertandingan Liga Malaysia musim depan..." He also added, "FAM kena meneliti setiap masalah persatuan negeri secara berasingan kerana setiap persatuan mempunyai masalah tersendiri. Jika persatuan negeri dan FAM sekata, barulah misi untuk memulih imej bolasepak tercapai."
I bet the statement was made on personal view as the Sultan, who is the President himself only said, "Saya mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Kongres kerana memberi kepercayaan kepada saya untuk sekali lagi memegang jawatan presiden. InsyaAllah dengan sokongan kepercayaan yang diberikan oleh semua pihak, FAM akan bergerak ke hadapan pada masa akan datang. Barisan exco baru ini akan cuba untuk meninggikan lagi mutu bola sepak negara. Saya juga ucapkan tahniah kepada mereka yang telah dipilih. Saya berharap mereka akan bekerja dengan lebih gigih dalam meninggikan mutu bola sepak negara," as soon as he was elected, not what the FAM would do or what he'd do to FAM.
So, who else the Sultan is referreing to?
And would KJ relinquish his FAM post if he was elected to a parliament secretary or deputy minister of minister post after the next general election? Remember what the PM or no less than his father-in-law said...
"...arahan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi supaya menteri, timbalan Menteri dan setiausaha parlimen tidak lagi boleh memegang sebarang jawatan dalam mana-mana persatuan sukan. Arahan Perdana Menteri pada Rabu lepas itu bagi memastikan menteri, timbalan menteri dan setiausaha parlimen memberi sepenuh perhatian kepada kementerian mereka bagi melaksanakan Rancangan Malaysia Kesembilan (RMK-9). Bagaimanapun, larangan yang berkuatkuasa serta merta itu tidak melibatkan Menteri Besar dan Ketua Menteri..."
Or would KJ let slip the opportunity for any of the political posts just to be in FAM?
Or maybe, Pak Lah has a different idea for his son-in-law... a Menteri Besar post?!
Ramadhan is here again... Tonight, we'll start performing solat sunat terawikh... Tonight or tomorrow early morning, we'll start having our sahur... Tomorrow, we'll start fasting... And for me, I've to make my way to office 30 minutes earlier starting tomorrow as our official working hour for Ramadhan will start at 8am (that equals to minus 30 minutes of sleep).
And as usual, I'll post niat puasa for the benefits of myself and others. This time, I've the translation in Bahasa Melayu untuk siapa yang benak tak boleh mengaji tu :-) too. So, if you don't bother to memorize it, just drop by at my blog before you go to bed, or just niat for one month.
And those who think they will not survive the fasting, I've found this dietary tips for us to follow, especially in the first few days of fasting. After a week, our body should be adapting well to the fasting condition already.
By the way, I don't mind McDonald's meals everyday in Ramadhan, no thanks to the 24-hour outlets they have around town and the buy 1 value meal, free one item (burgers/nuggets or bubur ayam) vouchers which should last until raya, for me.
And I also received lots of wishes for Ramadhan via sms and emails. So, selamat menyambut Ramadhan al-Mubarak to everyone, too.
Among all the wishes I received via email, this is one attachment I receoved in an email which I wish I'd trash it but I'll save it anyway, for later usage :-)
On September 11, 2001 morning four commercial passenger jet airliners were crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City, one plane into each tower, resulting in the collapse of both buildings soon afterward and irreparable damage to nearby buildings, while the third airliner (AA77) crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia and the fourth plane crashed into a field near the town of Shanksville in rural Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
In addition to the 19 hijackers, 2,974 people died as an immediate result of the attacks, and the death of at least one person from lung disease was ruled by a medical examiner to be a result of exposure to WTC dust. Another 24 people are missing and presumed dead. The victims were predominantly civilians.
It's the day everyone wishes not to remember. But, there could be at least one reason I wish to remember that day.
It was the day when Malaysia beat arch-rival and favorite Indonesia in the final of badminton men's team event of the SEA Games. Prior to that, Malaysia last won the gold medal for the event in 2001, a 10-year wait for the national team. And I was there in Stadium Malawati Shah Alam, cheering out loud for the national team when I received an sms about the attack on the WTC, which didn't bother me for at least until I finished singing Negaraku during the victory-ceremony.
Many people, at first, thought it's just another action movie by the Americans, but the reality sunk in after watching the footage of the collapse of the WTC which was shown on tv again and again and again.
And after a lengthy debate on the future of the WTC site, including dispute on the winning design of the proposed building, issue on leasing right of the site and security of the the new building, a final design for the tower, Freedom Tower, was formally unveiled on June 28, 2006.
Its designers stated that the tower will be a "monolithic glass structure reflecting the sky and topped by a sculpted antenna." In terms of a completion date, developer Larry Silverstein stated "By 2012 we should have a completely rebuilt World Trade Center more magnificent, more spectacular than it ever was." It is projected that steel for the building will be visible above ground in 2008, with a topping out in 2010. The building is projected to be ready for occupancy in the first quarter of 2011.
Whether the Freedom Tower will be greater or as great as WTC, the latter will always be remembered, for some reasons. I'll remember WTC for couple of reasons at least - the Sept 11 attack and because I've been there when I was lean, 28-inch waistline and 105lbs weight young virgin :-)
Selamat pengantin baru - Luq and Halis, semoga berkekalan hingga ke akhir hayat. Amien...
For whatever reasons, I don't really fancy going to wedding's reception. Or maybe I need a good pair of ear plugs before attending any wedding reception but the problem is that I like to hear the sound of kompang very much.
But, this wedding reception is simply an exception.
Look at the lovely bride and groom. I know Luq back since we were studying in Section 17's PPP before we further our studies in the US. And now Luq, without fail, will come and see me once in every three months to get my thumbprint for withdrawal of my EPF fund and reinvest in unit trust. He's my so-called wealth advisor now.
Forget the fancy invitation card (Luq only invites me verbally on phone and followed that up with an sms two days before the reception - not after I asked him where's the sms invite he promised to send) or the dress code of 'baju kebangsaan' which I refused to wear and Luq has to compromise by telling me "kalau nak pakai suit, pakai lah... itu baju kebangsaan juga, untuk orang putih..."
It's simply an exeptional wedding for an exceptional friend. Congrats bro!
And a chance to touch base with some old friends too with olders faces now...
with Diddy, Katon and Jimmy. Katek, Baen were there too. Ejump was the event photographer. Met Asma and her hubby too..
== One less lonely person in the world and it's gonna be fine...Few take-aways for me from the reception, the akad nikah was held earlier on the auspicious 07.07.07, Halis is 6-year younger than Luq, the food by D'Saji was good and I like the plain beriyani (minus raisins and cashew nuts), and there's basement parking at the Dewan Felda in case it rains.
Michigan got embarrassed again, just in a different way. A week after being upset by Appalachian State, the Wolverines were handed their most-lopsided loss in 39 years as Dennis Dixon and the Ducks cruised 39-7 on Saturday. Dixon accounted for 368 yards and a career-high four touchdowns.
Michigan (0-2) has opened a season with two straight losses at home for the first time since 1959 and has dropped four straight, dating to last season, for the first time in four decades. Unlike the stunning loss to the second-tier Mountaineers, the Wolverines didn't even keep it close against Oregon. The 32-point setback was Michigan's worst since losing 50-14 at Ohio State in 1968, the season before Bo Schembechler's debut in Ann Arbor. Michigan hasn't won a game since Schembechler died the day before the Ohio State game last year.
The Ducks (2-0) beat Houston handily in its opener, then were even more dominant against a once-proud program that boasts the most wins and best winning percentage in college football. Dixon led the way with his arm and feet, throwing for 292 yards and tying a career high with three passing TDs -- to three receivers -- and running for 76 yards and a score. Jonathan Stewart ran for 111 yards and a TD.
Oregon running back Jonathan Stewart (28) breaks a tackle from Michigan linebacker Austin Panter
The Ducks led 32-7 at halftime and coasted to the victory against little resistance. Michigan Stadium's aisles filled with fans that had seen enough after Oregon made it 39-7 in the third quarter and the Big House was so quiet that a small pocket of Oregon supporters could be heard chanting: "Let's Go Ducks! Let's Go Ducks!"
Dixon and the Ducks' spread offense, which is similar to what Appalachian State runs, had its way. Oregon racked up 624 yards, the second-highest total by a Michigan opponent in its 128 years of football. But what was startling was Michigan's inability to score with an offense widely regarded as one of the nation's best a little more than a week ago.
Anticipating what will be presented at the Budget this afternoon, smokers are getting nervous. Some of my friends have even stocked up their 'death by tobacco' inventory. And I hope, too, that the tobacco tax will be jacked up again to compensate the cut in personal income tax rate.
Suddenly, that trip to Ann Arbor doesn't seem so daunting. Now the Ducks are thinking that either the Wolverines aren't as good as their ranking, or they're going to be out for redemption. With the pain and humiliation of arguably the greatest upset loss in college football history still lingering, the Michigan Wolverines can't lick their wounds for long as they get right back to action in Saturday's non-conference bout with the visiting Oregon Ducks.
Lloyd Carr's Michigan squad opened the new campaign as the fifth-ranked team in the country and the odds-on favorite to win the Big Ten and challenge for the national title. Unfortunately, the good feelings surrounding the team ended in shocking fashion as the Wolverines were beaten at home by Appalachian State, the two-time defending FCS national champions. The loss caused the team to tumble out of the Top-25 in the largest fall in the history of the AP poll.
Whether Saturday's historic upset in Ann Arbor bodes well or poorly for Oregon is debatable. On one hand, Michigan now knows exactly -- and painfully -- what it has to address in facing the spread-option. On the other hand, any "wow factor" this trip might have had for Oregon has disappeared, even with more than 100,000 fans due in the stands Saturday.
Michigan owns a 3-1 edge in the all-time series with Oregon, with all three wins coming at home. In those three games, the Wolverines outscored the Ducks by a combined score of 59-0. Still, the only history that figures to matter in this one is very recent history -- as in, how will Michigan react to the embarrassment of the season opener.
And as for a Pacific-10 Conference school sneaking up on a big-time, Big Ten Conference school? "They're going to be on heightened alert," Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said. "I liken it to people being prepared for terrorist attacks now." Michigan now has lost three consecutive games, which doesn't sit well with its ample fan base.
Against Michigan, the Ducks will face a more traditional approach. There will be much less deception than the Cougars showed, but the Wolverines do have an aggressive, athletic offensive line and a powerful running back in Mike Hart. And Oregon will find out if it can handle an opponent's running game.
I've never been a great fan to this guy but there were times when I was entertained by his songs...
(from AP)
Luciano Pavarotti, opera's biggest superstar of the late 20th century, died Thursday. He was 71. He was the son of a singing baker and became the king of the high C's. Pavarotti, who had been diagnosed last year with pancreatic cancer and underwent treatment last month, died at his home in his native Modena at 5 a.m.
Pavarotti's charismatic persona and ebullient showmanship — but most of all his creamy and powerful voice — made him the most beloved and celebrated tenor since the great Caruso and one of the few opera singers to win crossover fame as a popular superstar. "Luciano's voice was so extraordinarily beautiful and his delivery so natural and direct that his singing spoke right to the hearts of listeners whether they knew anything about opera or not," Metropolitan Opera music director James Levine said in a statement. Fellow singer Jose Carreras called Pavarotti "one of the greatest tenors ever, one of the most important singers in the history of opera."
For serious fans, the unforced beauty and thrilling urgency of Pavarotti's voice made him the ideal interpreter of the Italian lyric repertory, especially in the 1960s and '70s when he first achieved stardom. For millions more, his thrilling performances of standards like "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot" came to represent what opera is all about.
"Nessun Dorma" turned out to be Pavarotti's last aria, sung at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Turin in February 2006. His last full-scale concert was at Taipei in December 2005, and his farewell to opera was in Puccini's "Tosca" at New York's Met in March 2004.
Instantly recognizable from his charcoal black beard and tuxedo-busting girth, Pavarotti radiated an intangible magic that helped him win hearts in a way Placido Domingo and Carreras — his partners in the "Three Tenors" concerts — never quite could.
In his heyday, he was known as the "King of the High C's" for the ease with which he tossed off difficult top notes. In fact it was his ability to hit nine glorious high C's in quick succession that turned him into an international superstar singing Tonio's aria "Ah! Mes amis," in Donizetti's "La Fille du Regiment" at the Met in 1972. From Beijing to Buenos Aires, people immediately recognized his incandescent smile and lumbering bulk, clutching a white handkerchief as he sang arias and Neapolitan folk songs, pop numbers and Christmas carols for hundreds of thousands in outdoor concerts.
The son of a baker who was an amateur singer, Pavarotti was born Oct. 12, 1935. He had a meager upbringing, though he said it was rich with happiness. "Our family had very little, but I couldn't imagine one could have any more," Pavarotti said. As a boy, Pavarotti showed more interest in soccer than his studies, but he also was fond of listening to his father's recordings of tenor greats like Beniamino Gigli, Tito Schipa, Jussi Bjoerling and Giuseppe Di Stefano, his favorite. In his teens, Pavarotti joined his father, also a tenor, in the church choir and local opera chorus. He was influenced by the American movie actor-singer Mario Lanza.
Singing was still nothing more than a passion while Pavarotti trained to become a teacher and began working in a school. But at 20, he traveled with his chorus to an international music competition in Wales. The Modena group won first place, and Pavarotti began to dedicate himself to singing. With the encouragement of his then-fiancee, Adua, he started lessons, selling insurance to pay for them. He studied with Arrigo Pola and later Ettore Campogalliani.
In 1961, Pavarotti won a local competition and with it a debut as Rodolfo in Puccini's "La Boheme." He followed with a series of successes in small opera houses throughout Europe before his 1963 debut at Covent Garden in London, where he stood in for Di Stefano as Rodolfo.
Having impressed conductor Richard Bonynge, Pavarotti was given a role opposite Bonynge's wife, Sutherland, in a Miami production of "Lucia di Lammermoor." They subsequently signed him for a 14-week tour of Australia. It was the recognition Pavarotti needed to launch his career. He also credited Sutherland with teaching him how to breathe correctly. Pavarotti's major debuts followed — at La Scala in Milan in 1965, San Francisco in 1967 and New York's Metropolitan Opera House in 1968.
Pavarotti, who had been trained as a lyric tenor, began taking on heavier dramatic roles, such as Manrico in Verdi's "Trovatore" and the title role in "Otello." In the mid-1970s, Pavarotti became a true media star. He appeared in television commercials and began singing in hugely lucrative mega-concerts outdoors and in stadiums around the world. Soon came joint concerts with pop stars. A concert in New York's Central Park in 1993 drew 500,000 fans. Pavarotti's recording of "Volare" went platinum in 1988.
In 1990, he appeared with Domingo and Carreras in a concert at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome for the end of soccer's World Cup. The concert was a huge success, and the record known as "The Three Tenors" was a best-seller and was nominated for two Grammy awards. The video sold over 750,000 copies. The three-tenor extravaganza became a mini-industry and widely imitated. With a follow-up album recorded at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in 1994, the three have outsold every other performer of classical music. A 1996 tour earned each tenor an estimated $10 million.
He will be remembered in Italy as "the last great Italian voice able to move the world," said Bruno Cagli, president of the Santa Cecilia National Academy in Rome.
== Translation to Nessun dorma... "No one sleeps! No one sleeps! You too, O Princess! in your chaste room are watching the stars which tremble with love and hope! But my secret lies hidden within me, no one shall discover my name! Oh no, I will reveal it only on your lips, when daylight shines forth and my kiss shall break the silence which makes you mine. Depart, oh nght! Fade away, you stars! At dawn I shall win!
It came to my surprise when it appears in a local newspaper that KJ anak menantu siapa laaa ni?! is the front runner for the Deputy President post in FAM following the resignation of Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah after the national football team's embarrassing defeats in the Asian Cup last July.
The article in Utusan Malaysia said KJ is the best available candidate to fill up the post and is backed by all 14 state FAs, 8 independent members of FAM, Melayu Malaysia FA and Wanita Malaysia FA. He is also seen to win the post uncontested.
My response... buta ke? Oh, Malaysia or Melayu mudah lupa. Don't anyone remember last July when everyone cries for politicians to not involve in running country's sports association? Don't they know that KJ will be busy lobbying for a seat to contest for in the next GE and he'll be busy contesting the Youth UMNO Chief post? Don't all these qualify him as a politician? Don't we have anyone else better to take up the post? At least not a nerd from Oxbridge, dude!
Or maybe kentut dia wangi that anyone supporting him for the post is willing to stick their nose in KJ's ass when he farts.
Maybe they have reasons biasalah nak dapat projek to get a whiff of KJ's fart or of other politicians who's running the country, who always try to make us believe that our farts smell so nice, better than farts in other countries...
Maybe I should sniff more farts now... this is what we should call aromatherapy, and it's free!!
== Kalau bulan bisa ngomong... dia jujur gak akan bohonng. I wish the moon runs this country. Moon? Bulan? Huh? Bulan penuh ke bulan sabit?
I came across this article in The Sun today. As much as we're confused whether to use Bahasa Melayu or Bahasa Malaysia, we'll get more confused if we were to take spelling test in Bahasa Melayu.
After reading three paragraphs of the article, I just can't believe that the writer, a Malay, could only score 13 out of 30 words. That's just aweful siap kutuk, tak payah jadi rakyat Malaysia, lah. I almost stop reading the article but wanted to know what's so hard about Bahasa Malaysia spelling test?
Then I realized that I'll get screwed up (diskru atas) as well if I were the writer. Man! Just imagine this...
'The minced meat cooked in spices and wrapped in a thin dough skin' is MARTABAK, not murtabak as we thought.
'Minced meat' is daging CENCANG, not daging cincang...
It got worse as I continue reading the article when... it is CELOPAR, not celupar when you spill out profanity
And only now I know the difference between baharu and baru. You gotta to read the article to know the difference.
I could never imagine myself taking Bahasa Malaysia SPM paper again. With all these variances and complexity of the language, I don't think I could score A1 like 14 years ago... probably credit could also be out of reach. :-(
The questions: 1) Kenapa anda berbangga lahir di bumi Malaysia? 2) Kenapa anda sepatutnya cukup bersyukur berada di bumi Malaysia ini tatkala menyambut merdeka?
At first, I told Iced Nyior, I'd not answer the tag as I don't want to lie but after third thought I told Iced Nyior, I'll give a shot. Besides that, I never like this tagging things so, don't ever tag me again ok, whoever...
Or would this be enough?
Okay, my answer to the first question: I'm able to be wherever I'm now and do whatever I do now. Best of all, the opportunities that were presented to me (whether I took it or not) especially since I scored straight As in UPSR. The opportunity to get into boarding school, study abroad, came back and work in large GLCs, they all made it possible for me to pursue my ambitions and at least repay some part of my parents' sacrifices.
My answer to the second question: I'm being thankful to be able to be wherever I was and do whatever I did when the country was celebrating Merdeka. Although I didn't do much, I was still able to take LRT for a short trip to Dataran Merdeka to see what's happening there, then have dinner in KL Sentral, then back to office and drove home. Arrived home, turned on my computer and tv and sleep peacefully. All those wouldn't be achieved or wouldn't be made possible without kemerdekaan.
I hope that's enough to answer the tag. And, thank me I'm not tagging anyone.
The Oregon football team forced four turnovers, two fumbles and two interceptions, while committing none itself in defeating the Houston Cougars 48-27 Saturday in front of 57,662 at Autzen Stadium. The game featured several big plays and a flurry of scoring late in the third quarter which amounted to four touchdowns, three for Oregon, in less than two minutes.
The game was still very much in doubt and seemed about to swing firmly in Houston's favor were it not for Patrick Chung's interception of Houston quarterback Case Keenum midway through the third quarter. With the game tied 20-20, Houston drove from its own 34 to the Oregon five-yard line. On third-and-goal, Keenum fired a pass over the middle toward the back of the end zone and Chung dove to snatch the ball away from the intended receiver and save the Ducks from falling behind.The play seemed to ignite the Duck offense, which was stagnant through much of the second and third quarters.
University of Oregon's Jonathan Stewart, carries the ball against University of Houston during the fourth quarter of the football game. (Photo courtesy The Oregonian's OregonLive.com)
Oregon drove 80 yards over the next 3:16 and scored on a 24-yard pass from senior quarterback Dennis Dixon to senior wide receiver Brian Paysinger to make it 27-20. Chung made another big play on the next Houston possession when he blocked a Chase Turner punt which was recovered by freshman Malachi Lewis and returned eight yards to the Houston six-yard line. On the Ducks' first play of the possession, Dixon found junior wide receiver Jaison Williams for a touchdown.
Anthony Alridge struck back for the Cougars with an 86-yard touchdown reception, the longest by a visiting team at Autzen in almost three years, to close the gap to 34-27, but the Duck offense was rolling. Dixon took the first snap of Oregon's next possession a career-best 80 yards for a touchdown. Dixon ran for 141 yards, completed nine of 15 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns for the Ducks. Dixon's rushing yards were the most for an Oregon quarterback since Tony Graziani ran 108 yards against Oregon State in 1995.
Oregon's next opponent is the No. 5 Michigan Wolverines at the Big House in Ann Arbor, Mich., next Saturday. The Wolverines were upset 34-32 by Division I-AA team, Appalachian State on Saturday.
Negaraku, the national anthem, had invited several controversies over the years. Those I could remember include the recent rap version of the song by Namewee, Hattan's rendition of Negaraku which prompted a heaty debate in Parliament and also the controversy surrounding the origin of the anthem.
I found this article in The Sunday Times dated 25th August 1957 which gives some light on the origin of the anthem.
Unity and progress are anthem themes
KUALA LUMPUR, Sat -- The Federation Government today published the six-line lyrics of the tune "Negara Ku" (My Country), independent Malaya's national anthem. The versed was composed by a national anthem committee led by the Chief Minister, Tengku Abdul Rahman, out of lines in several lyrics submitted by Government officials and members of the public.
The Director of the Information Services, Inche Ya'acob bin Abdul Latiff told the Sunday Times that none of the entries contained all that should be expressed in a national anthem. So the committee composed a new one based in them.
The lyrics have been submitted to the Rulers for their approval. They go like this:
Negara-ku tanah tumpah-nya darah-ku,
Ra'ayat hidup bersatu dan maju,
Rahmat Bahgia Tuhan Kurniakan,
Raja Kita Selamat Bertakhta,
Rahmat Bahgia Tuhan Kurniakan,
Raja Kita Selamat Bertakhta.
This is an English translation:
My country, my native land,
The people living united and progressive,
May God bestow blessing and happiness,
May our Ruler have a successful reign,
May God bestow blessing and happiness,
May our Ruler have a successful reign.
The national anthem is also the state anthem of Perak and the tune resembles the Malays romantic song "Terang Bulan"
Oregon hosts Houston in the 2007 season opener, the third meeting between both schools. The Ducks and Cougars have matched up twice before, with Oregon prevailing on both occasions - once in Eugene in 1983 (15-14) and more recently at Houston in the 2005 season opener (38-24).
The Ducks stopped flying toward the end of last season and now try to get it back as they open the 2007 season. Losers of its last four games, including the Las Vegas Bowl, Mike Bellotti's team finished 7-6 and opens the new season with something to prove.
Dennis Dixon, whose season went down the tubes at the same rate as the rest of the '06 Ducks, is back at the starting quarterback spot, now working with new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Dixon, always the starter in Bellotti's eyes, has been sharp both in the spring and preseason. He's done a great job," the coach says. "His decision-making has improved. I've been very, very impressed with his grasp of the offense." And, as Bellotti said, Dixon can be a dangerous weapon when things are going right, something that clearly didn't happen coming down the stretch in 2006.
Houston begins the 2007 season fresh on the heels of its first undisputed Conferences USA championship since 1978 and a berth in the Liberty Bowl against South Carolina. Once again, it is picked as favorites to repeat as league West Division winners in a pre-season vote of league coaches. The Cougars ended the year with a mark of 10-4 overall, dropping a 44-36 thriller to the Gamecocks in their season finale. Houston went 7-1 in the Conference USA West Division.
Isnin... aku Monday blues Selasa... aku post-Monday blues Rabu... aku midweek syndrome Khamis... aku post-midweek syndrome Malam Jumaat... aku keseorangan Jumaat... now the week begins Sabtu... aku take it easy, santai je Ahad... aku pre-Monday blues
It was billed in advance as a high-scoring, offense-driven game, but both teams had trouble getting into the end zone through the first three quarters.
It was billed in advance as a high-scoring, offense-driven game, but both teams had trouble getting into the end zone through the first three quarters.
