Saturday, April 16, 2011

There are cows everywhere


It is indeed ironic but it is true there are cows in sports organization and other blind cows following them blindly and the funny part is they get re-elected every term.

Where does the fault lie?

Its comical at time when officials elected to post have cobwebs around them and only awaken a couple of months before to take credit or to discredit others. At time at matters that have no bearing but like a good media blitz, such cows and fellow cows whip it into a frenzy...

Why comical? They throw words such at illegal, un-constitutional etc etc just to gain popularity when in fact they are the poison that kill the sport.

At times I admire people on the ground who are crying for activities and trying to revive the sport only to be held hostage by cows and fellow cows who hold a bunch of votes. Hence the word majority rules.

I am here to do a job, leave the politics at the door and come and work with me, I will work with anyone even my enemies but NEVER use it as a platform for self interest.

Do we need change? YES
Do we need to educate the affiliates? YES
Do we need fresh face ? YES

How when the majority is with the cows? Maybe just do what you do best, when your term is up walk with your head held high

Vadai walked the talk

Friday, April 15, 2011

Memories





I miss the coffee bean at KLCC, it had a nice balcony can you could watch the fountain show.. memories came flooding back when i was at Chillis and looking down as it was raining and the fountain was doing its dance.

When I started in Kl this would be my regular seating spot, at coffee bean or the steps by the fountain having my drink or bites watching the water do its thing.

Used to enjoy watching people pass by kids playing and feeling the evening sun or the occasional drizzle....

Monday, April 11, 2011

The 50th anniversary of human space flight

“There are lots of hungry people in the world, and none of them are hungry because we went to the moon. None of them are colder and certainly none of them are dumber because we went to the moon.”


Half a decade has passed since man's first space flight.. I paused and reflected how far we have come in that 50 years... Gagarin's flight was seen as a huge accomplishment and was celebrated around the world, and it kicked off the space race between what was then the Soviet Union and the United States.

Following that U.S. President John F.Kennedy challenged his nation to put the first man on the moon by the end of the decade, which they did in 1969. For his part, Gagarin became a huge celebrity. He visited dozens of countries to celebrate his accomplishment. Since Gagarin's flight, 522 people from 38 nations have flown in space: 335 from the U.S., and 111 from Russia.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of human space flight.. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution at a special session on Thursday declaring April 12 the International Day of Human Space Flight.

We have come a long way since that day 50 years ago both good and bad.. we seen the arms race and cold wars escalate, we have see technology grow for better and worse to help humanity... as I look back at it I am reminded human we are by that event and how we must cherish life, family and friendship instead of bickering over small matters.... The quote from West wing says it all... Live life to the fullest and respect the friendship you have with your friends





Bartlet: It was not a space ship from another planet, just another time -- a long since abandoned Soviet satellite. One of its booster rockets didn't fire and it couldn't escape Earth's orbit. A sad reminder of the time when two powerful nations challenged each other and then boldly raced into outer space. What will be the next thing that challenges us, Toby? That makes us go farther and work harder? You know that when smallpox was eradicated, it was considered the single greatest humanitarian achievement of this century? Surely we can do it again, as we did in the time when our eyes looked towards the heavens, and with outstretched fingers we touched the face of God.

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

India World Champions - Cricket




WOW now the India world champions its dream team makes it true. It takes a long journey for India the moment when India win the world cup hold everyone’s breathe for a minute. Last day the world cup final match India vs Srilanka Final was held in the Mumbai home town of Sachin the all persons watching it in the stadium of live at their TV sets were waiting for the each ball delivered that take India to the victory of the world cup.

Quotable Quotes

1 . India was hit by a Tsunami called Mallianga - after losing Shewag & Tendulkar quickly

2. Just saw a Sri Lankan drinking tea out of a plate. He said Indians took the cup.

India’s last world cup championship trophy was already 28 years ago. One of the sweetest victory in Indian Cricket for they have won against arch-rival Pakistan in the semis and defeated depending champion Sri Lanka in the Finals.

Even in Malaysia die hard cricket fans made time to watch matches especially the blockbuster match between Pakistan versus India. This was the scene of the finals between Sri Lanka & India on Saturday



The Indian National Cricket team have overcame a 274-run inning by the Sri Lankans. The partnership of MS Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir made the Indians came alive as their hopes have already losing their first two batsmen including the Master Sachin Tendulkar in the opening overs.Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir led the comeback, as both came just shy of 188 runs between them. Dhoni finished of with a sixer... what a way to win the match

Toddy & Exotic Food


Around the time of my birthday in March, a couple of buddies and I we chatting about various drinks and how they are made and I made an off hand remark bout Toddy.

Toddy, or sometimes spelt Todi locally known as "Kallu", is a type of coconut wine. Yes yes it is classified as coconut wine not to be confused with Jamaican rum... some say that toddy should be branded and called Siva's Regal (not to be confused with the whiskey Chivas Regal) - "taste the same, high the same...but its not the same".

So we decided we should make an attempt to experience this and set aside April 16 as the target date. After we were talking about the The Star actually has a article on it and that spurred us on more ..Last Sunday a couple of the local Klang guys went on a rekkie trip to scout placed where they serve.

What we found was not a dingy joint but a local backyard gravel filled court yard concept with a few palm trees and tables with plastic chairs and umbrella that you can relax and chill.

Toddy is served served either as Padaneer (a sweet, non-alcoholic beverage derived from fresh sap) or kallu (a sour beverage made from fermented sap, but not as strong as wine). What is served in this joint is Kallu. Kallu is usually drunk soon after fermentation by the end of day, as it becomes more sour and acidic day by day. However, it may be refrigerated to extend its life.

We made a mistake in the concept of ordering is, we ordered a bucket of 2 bottles immediately with chilly and cut onions the idea would be to order 1 bottle at a time


Another plus point about this place is the availability of spicy food to compliment the drinking, exotic food form wild boar to iguana aka 'udumbu' to the usualy chicken mutton and surprisingly they actually have vegetarian dishes.

Come April 16, god willing we be making a trip and hope to write more about it

I just dont get it!!

I wonder if SHELL MALAYSIA got anything to say about this picture below


I just cant wrap my head around the decline in following simple rules and safety, at times I am aghast and the irresponsibility or 'tidak apa' attitude that common people, sons, fathers mothers and other portray day to day.

What amazing is its across the board and the icing on the cake is they do not give a damm who they hurt as long they get free

Friday, April 01, 2011

1-4-1989, remembering the events




In memory of Poologasingam Mapanapillai departed 1-4-1989



This thread is not about venting or bitch but just recoding my thoughts bout the fateful day my dad passed away and evens prior and post that... Its not meant to burn anyone.. just me and my thoughts

22 years ago my dad passed away

1989 1st of April will always leave a mark on me and directly and indirectly change my perception of what family and relatives mean to me and events following that further cemented that.

Being a young kid from an inter-marriage that did not work out too well my family left my dad and came to live under the guardianship of my uncle who was also married to my father's sister thus the inter-marriage, they too did not work out too well and so it came to be. Family politics were always vicious and being young children sometimes we were used as pawns by the males. Both sides has their wrong and no one wanted to look at the bigger picture.

In 1984 Summer Olympics, my uncle (who was my guardian) his wife aka my father sister has passed on. The funeral was more of a territory war then a reunion, ugly situation was ever present during the funeral and the 31 day prayers that follow and that lead to a "no fly zone" ruling to separated the family my dad's side and my uncle's side. At this funeral the battalion of mourners, supporters and relatives all 'turn padang' so to speak and events during that and the following years we ended up like estranged family members separated by the politics and family war.

Life does go on and I grew up in Klang, under the thumb but could never speak ... I rebel a lot and that lead to a lot of things right and wrong. There is always the stigma of the broken family or the single parent, I used to cringe the report card day or sports days when parents would turn up especially dads and fren would ask where is ur dad etc etc I am not being bitter my father was not around, I understood the reasons for that and grew up with it. Most of my frens as I grew up never knew my story and I never shared.

April 1 was a Sunday when I went to bed when I was woken up and informed my dad has passed away, the first words was this must be an April Fools joke!! alas it was not. I was summoned downstairs and the powers that be decreed that I was going alone for my dad funeral and no one else from the family were to go for the funeral. The first thoughts in my mind was WTF!!! My mom, and the rest of te relatives was also barred from going.

I was numb not sleeping that night as I went upstairs, there was a flurry of phone calls and other things taking place, bout 3am I was informed that I would be put on a train in the morning to Kluang for the funeral and to return back when it is over. So much for family and its politics,

That Monday morning, here is your ticket, here is some pocket money ok off you go for your dad's funeral you uncles (dad's side) would meet you at the station...the 8+hour train journey to Kluang all alone left a mark on me, as sat on the steps of the train near the door looking out, I question many a times why I was sent alone, why the politics of family were like this and if I deserved such a treatment. Tears did flow as I struggle to put the pieces together.

How would my dad's relatives receive me, how would the funeral be, what was I supposed to do, where are my uncles and aunts and family to support me, where were my cousins to provide the support and shoulder... all those thought and more accompanied me on that journey...I had to keep repeating myself about how he was found dead, asking why he was alone..... how it was so sudden.. to a stage I felt so overwhelmed.

As I came closed to my destination, having not slept the night before, drained by my thoughts and not eaten thru my journey I returned to my seat tired and down, I had dozed off as I awoken to the sound the train had reached Kluang, I struggled to get out of the train and by the time I could grab my belonging and hop out on to the Kluang station the train was already rolling.. I would see both my uncles (dad's younger brother and brother in law) trying to find me at the station, half my thought was to jump out of the train but it was too risky.

No cell phone those days lol.. the minute I did not get down my dad's relatives panicked wondering where I was, some thought went as far if my uncles (mon's side) had changed their mind and renegaded on the deal. I got down at Simpang Renggam a town alien to me and grabbed a cab to Sunrise Park my grand father house in Kluang that I grew up.

It was a roller coasted of emotions as I got down from the cab walking to the house, as my dad's side relatives uncles and aunts came to embrace me crying and all that and I was numb... my grandfather embraced me and I did not see my dad's body.. apparently it had not arrived from Kuala Lipis and when it did, it arrived in a fisherman lorry as they could not get a hearse, that sparked off another roller coaster of emotion. The funeral went alright, all the rituals and wat nots were done... and over with.

I placed one phone call to say i had arrived and the one who spoke on the phone never even ask how was I but asked why I missed the station and the problems I had caused .. yeah i know another WTF moment

Post funeral as I was sitting at my grandfather's swing my cousins on my dad sides did not approach me, they were younger and was wondering who was this stranger who claims to be their eldest male cousin..My dad who I had not communicated much over the past 9 years after separation, excerpt an occasional meet up, birthday cards once in a while, yet for the funeral so much of his friends & and people who knew him came up to speak to me after the funeral.

What amazed me was the fact he was always top class to his frens and his family, tales of buying food, or a breath of fresh air when he walked into the room, helping his family, teasing his sisters and his parents kind of like the naughty rebel that people loved. There was his dark side but you dont talk about those thing in funerals a big NO NO lol. The 2-3 days I was there, I was welcomed by my dad's side family but I was also the outsider being there having not associated with them for a long time.

I would never wish what I went thru to anyone, the emotional and physiological impact on a 17 year old kid can never be truly put down in words. Monthly following that events I went south in studies, sports, family and many others, I did not do stupid thing like smoking or drugs, but i did go south.. it took me a long time to turn it around but I did, I still could not come to terms but I learn to live with it.

The kicker was after the funeral, my aunt called me in Kluang and asked if I was ok and how I was holding up, I do treasure that call and I learned later on that my aunt got a ticking off from the powers that be for making that call. That was the only person that reached out to me... sad but true. when I got back to the day to day life some of my frens in school knew about it and offered condolences but I never talked about it.. was never sure if it was coz I had rage or I decided to pack it in... maybe a little of the both...

A few years later after my dad's funeral apparently the powers that be has soften their stand and had a change of heart and went of to a few funerals of my dad's side especially my grandfather where the who family plus relatives showed up.... so now my immediate family which is my mum and my sis are the bad sheep coz they did not show up at my dad funeral and the rest of the family are forgiven.. why oh they showed up at my grandfather funeral and all is patched up...

So here was a conundrum... why is it for your dad funeral they sent you alone but for your grandfather funeral everyone came running....crude but true.. so much for principals and righteousness. I would never comprehend or understand the decisions principals and decision that were made, I never forgive my relatives for dancing to that tune. It was a train journey that changed the way I think and looked at how a family and relatives should be.

In a family when you make a choice and a principal you can enforce it across the board, never do, do not police or enforce your decision to other family members, they have a right to decide and stand on their own feet.

Like these days I have a grudge so to speak with my number 9 uncle who played out my mum, my mum forgave him but I did not, I do not speak to him for what he did to my mum but the rest of my family can interact with him and even my son gives him the proper respect for my beef is only with him and the rest of my family should never be a party to that.

I always try to encourage to my cousins that family is important, that relatives are important and make the effort to keep in touch. For me I will never allow another situation that I went thru to ever come to play with any of my cousins, that would be the last and it ended with me.

In the end it was a train ride that changed me..