Singapore v Thailand

I'd love to be there at the National Stadium tonight but I'll be at ALG instead. Anyway, wish the Lions all the best against the Thais. We'll say a little prayer for them tonight, even as they leave this afternoon from the Amara, where our church is located.

As Glenn Ong out it:
"We are SIngapore
We are SIngapore
We will stand to gether
Hear the lion ROAR!"

Go get 'em.

Singapore vs Malaysia

YES! Singapore beats Malaysia 5-4 on penalties after a 2-2 aggregate stalemate after 210 minutes of football.

And we were there where all the action happened, barely 5m away from the Malaysian supporters. Banter came thick and fast, though it appeared to me that our neighbours were better organised with their chants.

Oh, the game, yes. Al things considered, Singapore just about deserved to go through for creating more clear-cut chances. This was more to do with Malaysia unable to defend their leftback and Ridhuan then Fazrul hept getting chances to put telling crosses in.

In the end it came down to penalties. After a scare when the Malaysian keeper got a hand to Jiayi's shot, Lionel Lewis atoned for his first half gaffe with a simple save to put Singapore into the final, where they will probably face Thailand.

American Beauty

An indictment of everything beautiful about America.

From its first gliding aerial shot of a generic suburban street, American Beauty moves with a mesmerizing confidence and acuity epitomized by Kevin Spacey's calm narration. Spacey is Lester Burnham, a harried Everyman whose midlife awakening is the spine of the story, and his very first lines hook us with their teasing fatalism--like Sunset Boulevard's Joe Gillis, Burnham tells us his story from beyond the grave.
It's an audacious start for a film that justifies that audacity. Weaving social satire, domestic tragedy, and whodunit into a single package, Alan Ball's first theatrical script dares to blur generic lines and keep us off balance, winking seamlessly from dark, scabrous comedy to deeply moving drama. The Burnham family joins the cinematic short list of great dysfunctional American families, as Lester is pitted against his manic, materialistic realtor wife, Carolyn (Annette Bening, making the most of a mostly unsympathetic role) and his sullen, contemptuous teenaged daughter, Jane (Thora Birch, utterly convincing in her edgy balance of self-absorption and wistful longing). Into their lives come two catalytic outsiders. A young cheerleader (Mena Suvari) jolts Lester into a sexual epiphany that blooms into a second adolescence. And an eerily calm young neighbor (Wes Bentley) transforms both Lester and Jane with his canny influence.

Credit another big-screen newcomer, English theatrical director Sam Mendes, with expertly juggling these potentially disjunctive elements into a superb ensemble piece that achieves a stylized pace without lapsing into transparent self-indulgence. Mendes has shrewdly insured his success with a solid crew of stage veterans, yet he's also made an inspired discovery in Bentley, whose Ricky Fitts becomes a fulcrum for both plot and theme. Cinematographer Conrad Hall's sumptuous visual design further elevates the film, infusing the beige interiors of the Burnhams' lives with vivid bursts of deep crimson, the color of roses--and of blood. --Sam Sutherland

Motorcycle Diaries

The true story of the making of Che Guevera.

In 1952, two young Argentines, Ernesto Guevara and Alberto Granado, set out on a road trip to discover the real Latin America. Ernesto is a 23-year-old medical student specializing in leprology, and Alberto, 29, is a biochemist. The tale follows their journey as they unveil the rich and complex human and social topography of the Latin American continent.

Cinderella Man

Looking for a movie to lift your spirits? This is it.

Based on the true story of fighter Jim Braddock, who in Depression-era New York enters the boxing ring out of desperation to feed his family. He becomes a common folk hero as he battles his way up the ranks, vaulting from broken-down ex-boxer to living legend with a string of amazing upsets to his credit. As word of the scrappy underdog spreads, entire families stay glued to their radios, cheering, praying and experiencing his victories as their own. Their devotion reaches fever pitch when Braddock faces heavyweight champ Max Baer. That night, Braddock's dignity, courage and determination gives hope to a nation and earns him the nickname of Cinderella Man.

Singapore Dreaming

Jack Neo who? This is so much better than whatever Manglish titles Raintree Films can come up with. Jack Neo is successful 'cos he has the money.

Scoop

An interesting if atypical whodunit. Trust Woody Allen to come up with a murder as a premise for a rom-com.

GEMS

Well, things are getting off to a good start with GEMS, the amalGEM (ahem) of a Ladies' and Men's ALG. We are seeing strong attendance, where our sum is greater than our parts. We even have had a couple of newcomers. You can just feel the synergy running through the place. May GOd continue to bless us.

On the downside, I bought shaving blades and lost them. $20 gone. I am getting my laptop tomorrow though!

Thank You for Smoking

Satire at its best. Not too preachy as Eckhart defends the indefensible to great effect.

Acer laptop

Buying the Acer AS5583WXMi for about $2000 including 1GB RAM upgrade and 5-year warranty.

Blue Ribbon Against Child Abuse

Do pass it on if you're against child abuse.

My name is Sarah
I am but three,
My eyes are swollen
I cannot see

I must be stupid,
I must be bad,
What else could have made
My daddy so mad?

I wish I were better,
I wish I weren't ugly,
Then maybe my Mommy
Would still want to hug me

I can't speak at all,
I can't do a wrong
Or else I'm locked up
All the day long

When I awake
I'm all alone
The house is dark
My folks aren't home

When my Mommy does come
I'll try and be nice,
So maybe I'll get just
One whipping tonight

Don't make a sound!
I just heard a car
My daddy is back
From Charlie's Bar

I hear him curse
My name he calls
I press myself
Against the wall

I try and hide
From his evil eyes
I'm so afraid now
I'm starting to cry
He finds me weeping
He shouts ugly words,
He says it’s my fault
That he suffers at work

He slaps me and hits me
And yells at me more,
I finally get free
And I run for the door

He's already locked it
And I start to bawl,
He takes me and throws me
Against the hard wall

I fall to the floor
With my bones nearly broken,
And my daddy continues
With more bad words spoken

"I'm sorry!” I scream
But it’s now much too late
His face has been twisted
Into unimaginable hate

The hurt and the pain
Again and again
Oh please God, have mercy!
Oh please let it end!

And he finally stops
And heads for the door,
While I lay there motionless
Sprawled on the floor

My name is Sarah
And I am but three,
Tonight my daddy
Murdered me

Blood Diamond

An expose a-la-Hotel Rwanda on the corruptibility of the diamond trade. DiCaprio and Hounsou deserve the gongs for this one.



Set against the backdrop of civil war and chaos in 1990's Sierra Leone, "Blood Diamond" is the story of Danny Archer--a South African mercenary--and Solomon Vandy--a Mende fisherman. Both men are Afri...( read more )can, but their histories as different as any can be, until their fates become joined in a common quest to recover a rare pink diamond that can transform their lives. While in prison for smuggling, Archer learns that Solomon--who was taken from his family and forced to work in the diamond fields--has found and hidden the extraordinary rough stone. With the help of Maddy Bowen, an American journalist whose idealism is tempered by a deepening connection with Archer, the two men embark on a trek through rebel territory, a journey that could save Solomon's family and give Archer the second chance he thought he would never have.

Timetable

Haiz, sian. My timetable is out and I have no free days again, with even more classes this semester. Moreover, realised my friends and I are in very different classes. Car pool and group work is gonna be a real problem. =[

Last week of holiday

Just came back from Pulai Springs in Johor on a church leaders' retreat with engaging discussion and great R&R with table tennis, saunas, swimming, frisbee and even a spot of football on ESPN.

Then came back and went to Mind Cafe for 7 hours and only spent $14.

Tomorrow we're gonna go Joshua's house for Risk Night!

Timetable's out tomorrow and school starts on 8 Jan. Sob.

EPL Week 20

(TT)vaches de chier

Andrew Johnson (NUF, @MAC)
For Shevchenko. And when I do get him, nothing happens.
Nothing doing.

Robin van Persie (@SHE, CHA)
Quiet first half.
Explosive! Two goals!

Bernardo Corradi (@WHU, EVE)
Blunt.
James Blunt.

Josip Skoko (@WAT, BLA)
Game abandoned.
Has both games' points for some strange reason. I sense somehow the points will disappear again.

Cristiano Ronaldo (RED, @NUF)
Another TWO goals?!?
Lets Scholes have a go instead.

Frank Lampard (FUL, @AST)
For Gerrard. Unlucky not to score.
Unlucky again.

Gilberto Silva (@SHE, CHA)
Quiet first half.
Quiet second half.

Johan Djourou (@SHE, CHA)
Disappeared.
AWOL.

Fitz Hall (@WAT, BLA)
For Konchesky. Game abandoned.
Poor.

Gabriel Heinze (RED, @NUF)
Does ok.
AWOL.

Henrique Hilario (FUL, @AST)
Porous defence.
Redeems a bit.

Total points: 135.0
Predicted points: 137.4

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

The Group of Death III

Well done all!

Week 20 has just passed.

Aaron (1813) strengthens 1st place with 135 pts, thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo, Robin van Persie and Frank Lampard.

The gap is now 154 pts as Ben (1659) slips in 2nd place with 78 pts and is 10 pts ahead of Hsu, no thanks to Gary O'Neil, Didier Zokora, Lucas Neill, Fitz Hall and Andre Ooijer.

Hsu (1649) gains in 3rd place with 120.5 pts, thanks to Benni McCarthy, van Persie and Ashley Cole.

Rafizah (1579) chases in 6th place with the 3rd-highest score of 139 pts, thanks to Ronaldo, van Persie, Cole and Didier Drogba.

Kimjin (1320) rises 3 places to 12th place with the highest score of 166 pts, thanks to Ronaldo, van Persie and Marcus Hahnemann.

Amos (1195.5) rises 2 places to 17th place with the 2nd-highest score of 155 pts, thanks to van Persie, McCarthy and Steve Finnan.

Jasmine (1592.5) slips to 5th place with 95.5 pts, no thanks to Chris Kirkland, Paul Scharner and Ooijer.

At the other end, Teckseng (1227.5) and Kenneth (898.5) fall to 16th and last place respectively with the lowest score of 63 pts, no thanks to the negative Kirkland, Andriy Shevchenko, Damien Duff and Aaron Lennon, and Shay Given, Henrik Pedersen, Duff, Stephen Carr and Steve Warnock respectively.

See you next week!