Over plan and Over Scheme

Sometimes being too good a planner is no good. It makes me complacent.

I have a core paper this coming Tuesday. Basically it is the toughest paper of all the papers I'm taking this sem. Well usually and normally people always put in their hardest effort for the toughest paper. Me too. But not this paper.

Why?

Because I planned to much. I schemed too much. This core paper is worth 3 units. I'm taking 18 units this semester. Other than this core is a 6 unit Final Year Project, 1 unit of Guitar (Co-curricular), 2 units of Korean language class, 2 units of English speaking class and 4 units of Organizational Behavior (Minor).

I always do calculations before and set targets. Usually my targets get me well over 3.5, which is the dean's list. Not that I don't aim for 4.0, but I'm not the person who finds great joy being the best in academics while sacrificing my fun and leisure time. So 3.5 above is good enough for me, and usually I get it with just the right amount of hardwork, and planning XP

But this semester is far more different. Because of the weight the 6 unit Final Year Project carry, that subject itself is life and death. Doing well in my FYP means, how bad the other papers turn out to be are irrelevant. And touch wood if my FYP turns out to be crap, well not even all my papers put together can get me a dean's list.

Plus I have more confident in my other papers compared to this looming core paper. I will put in effort on other papers which I have more confident in, easier to study. Going through this current subject makes me bored and going in circles.

Plus I don't really quite care of what I get this semester. It's the bloody last semester. Time to enjoy and relax, rather than study the crap out of me... So here I am, 2nd blog entry of the day... Yawn. Boring :/

P R O M E T H E U S - Hypothesis to Questions

Finally a good movie to spur me back into reviews and thoughts. Movies nowadays are a bit too cliche and direct, so the usual reviews make no sense and sounds irrelevant, because I'm no pro. However each and everyone of us is entitled to our own points and views, so for a movie like Prometheus, it is what you think or what they make you think which is more important.

Prometheus is a movie, which you say is science fiction, maybe science (if it could be real!). Now to those who aren't familiar or knew NOTHING about the Greek myths, this movie is named Prometheus not because the ship's name is Prometheus (well partly you can say, but no one names a movie after a ship ;] ).

According to Greek myths, Prometheus is a titan (think Clash/Wrath of the Titans, but not that big bad guy). He is known as a champion of mankind, who was famously known for his theft of fire for the human use. Prometheus stole heavenly fire from Heaven and gave it to humans, enabling the progress of civilization (we didn't rub wood with stone till we made our own fire! And cooking food with fire is a symbol or proof of civilization XD).

Well that is roughly what the myths say about him. In Western classical tradition, Prometheus is a symbol of human striving, particularly for SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE, and the risk of overreaching or unintended consequences (quoted from Wikipedia). This guy, basically wanted to give equal footing for humans with Gods!

Now going back to the movie (SPOILER ALERT: DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCH). Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway discovered similarities of star map in different civilizations, hence decided to prove that humans are not created by God, claimed by the religion, rather we could be a race faction of present aliens in other world - which they called "Engineers". This claim has been rubber stamped right at the start of the movie, where we see a humanoid alien drinking some gooey black liquid, disintegrating, leading to change of DNA, mutation, and in the end, new life forms-cells are formed and mitosis occurs.

The act, of traveling to the location designated by the star map, to prove that God never created humans, to put equal footing that it was actually man that created man, is an act of "Prometheusim". Hence, finally we now justify, why the movie is called Prometheus, where it isn't about Greek myths, nor has this guy appeared in the whole movie.

*I am an Atheist myself, so this theory or believe rather suits well with me XP.

Now questions and answers, based on my self interpretations:

1. Why did the Engineers created us and then wanted to destroy us?

Good question. In fact the one's everyone has in their minds. Even got me thinking straight away after I finished the movie. There are of course a lot of answers, since this is a very open-ended question. One of the perspectives is: Remember the beginning scene where we saw that Engineer drinking the black liquid? At that time the setting was on Earth. He sees a spaceship leaving, disrobe, drank the liquid, went into seizures, disintegrates, falls down the waterfall, his DNA destroying-but not entirely, and then live cells forming and multiplying. Theory one could be that he was indeed chosen to create us. Other theories might be a bit absurd, because they did came back and helped us in different civilizations, judging that different civilizations showed the same star map. So they couldn't be evil. So that leaves us to the next question.


2. Why would they want to destroy us?

This is an even harder question. Basically this is the question that fuels speculation of a 2nd movie. Even till the end of the first movie, even Elizabeth herself is clueless. So what is the reason, is up to your own imagination. As rich as possible. Maybe something happened back in their home planet, which could mean purging us to take over our planet. Maybe it is fun to create something just because you can, and destroying them too (what Charlie said to David). You can give a thousand reasons,  but until a possible 2nd movie comes out, everything is possible.

  
3. Why are there so many different type of aliens? Why some mutate and some don't?

Remember there were 2 scientists that got lost. One got killed by a snake like (or cobra like) alien. One got contaminated by the black liquid. Think back. When Elizabeth, David and Charlie entered the chamber with the BIG engineer head statue, after lifting their foot from the ground, there is a scene where earthworms are seen wriggling in the soil. And then black liquid starts to ooze out from the vases, possibly mutating the worms, making them into the snake alien. This could be the same black liquid drank by the engineer at the start of the movie. Which is also the one that was spiked into Charlie's drink by David, passed into Elizabeth's body, making her 3 months pregnant with an alien baby. Note that again, the baby from Elizabeth is squid like. After somehow "mating" with the Engineer at the end, then only we see the typical Alien emerging from the dead Engineer body. Perhaps it shouldn't be a question, rather the laws of mutation huh?

 
4. So in the end, what is THE Alien?

Again if you don't know science, you'll get a hard time to understand. Elizabeth is sterile- meaning she can't have babies. But it wasn't clear how was she sterile. There are many reasons- failure for the fetus to adhere to the wall of the uterus, failure to produce an ovum and so on. So depending on what are the reasons that made Elizabeth sterile, what makes up the Alien varies. It can be the black liquid itself, or it could be a mutated sperm from Charlie (*snicker), it could even be the black liquid passed and combined with Elizabeth's ovum, if the reason of her sterility was due to the fetus failure to adhere to the uterus wall. Then again, it's again imagination.

So one could go on and on the speculate and think of the reasons and possible answers to the questions above. I've had enough myself though. Time to scoot off to studies.

Definitely worth watching. Not epic, but good enough. :) 3 and a half stars out of five :D

The Kagawa and Hazard debate

I can't deny that I am visiting ESPN soccernet every now and then. Until the day Kagawa holds United jersey in his hands, I will always be on the lookout. And regarding on Hazard joining Chelsea, well I can say that I'm just pleased with the news, because I'd rather he went there rather than City.

Well then again, I won't be too please either. Chelsea has indeed look more formidable with the addition of Hazard, and not to mention Marko Marin. Chelsea's playing style will be much more pacier given that they acquired two players who excel in flanks. Put in Torres (if he does really finds his Anfield form back) and Ramires, Cole, you'll get a team that will be counter attacking menacingly.

I never quite did believed that United were on the market for Hazard. Because we already have enough wingers to last us even during the most crisis periods. Gone were the days where Darren Fletcher or John O'Shea had to be a make-used winger. Finally after waiting and waiting, SAF finally clears his mind to get an attacking midfielder with superb ball vision, shooting ability and pace - Shinji Kagawa.

Given on how Hazard handled the press, his attitude and demands, everyday my views on him keeps getting lower and lower. I used to think he was Cristiano Ronaldo 2.0. I was wrong. At least Ronaldo was not that big mouth before he arrived at United or even when he arrived at United. If Hazard was a bit more modest like Ronny, then I'll bemoan and grieve that he chose to join Chelsea and snubbed United. Thank God he was such a pain in the arse that I so willingly "celebrated" that he went to Chelsea. One other player that gave me the same feeling was when Balotelli signed for City.

I admit I like players with flair. Ronaldo was one of the first player that redefined how to excel as a winger. After the likes of David Beckham who remodeled winger as a player who assists from the flanks, Ronaldo seemed to bring back the years of George Best, cutting in from the flank with speed and scoring. So basically I should be sad that Hazard, a player with speed and flair would not be joining United. But after watching Kagawa's videos on his assists and runs, my preference towards footballing style changed.

I still remember the days Ronaldo came in. Trick pony, lousy header, and shooting with no direction. He was just like the old Joe Cole, just good at show boating. But over the years he improved, even now when he is at Madrid, he's scoring more goals than showing tricks. Goals and assists. It's all that matters. So just basically based on the goal ratios and assists, Kagawa already beat Hazard by miles.

Plus, Throw in other factors like he never needed to think which club to join after he leaves (He chose United without hesitation), he costs less, he doesn't ask for crazy wages, he doesn't ask for the famous number 7 jersey either! However, one thing Hazard beats Kagawa up till now, is his youtube videos on skills and dribbles. 


On more Hazard and Kagawa debates, go here. Article is terribly written, where the writer compares Hazard and Kagawa with absurd fashion. But rebuttal comment down there is epic... Love that guy :)

Seriously? Bullshit!

I know I have been delaying finding a job. Mostly it's because my semester is taking a turn into a hectic time (funny that I still have the mood to blog while my thesis is still undone yet).

Yes I know they are friends of mine who already got their work offers even before they graduate. Yes I know some of them are excited or elated to have got a work offer. Not for me NO. It's not like I don't care, nor I have money raining down for me everyday. It's because working in Malaysia, for me, and especially in my work field if I really go back working related to Food Technology, is pure bullshit.

(15 minutes pause or AFK)

I was busy commenting and rebutting fools on the Star Online page. In a nutshell, companies are always right when it comes to employing us, and the moment we set foot inside your company, is the moment we sell our souls to you. Going back to the food industry? NO WAY!

痛

曼市捧杯。曼联流泪。

对。空手而归的赛季。谁都不想的。更何况是在90分钟的时候，当曼市还输着球时，仿佛上天亲自把联赛杯送回曼联的手里。

加时五分钟，就知道很不对劲。还以为曼联会突然和球，哪知曼市在不可能中的不可能进了两粒进球，逆转了命运。

曼市赢球赢杯，理所当然。要怪就怪曼联不争气。领先八分却把它给丢失。看到曼市捧杯，有点羡慕，妒忌。

痛，伤心，则不是因为输了杯。而是既然有一些莫名其妙的球队粉丝高兴，是因为能看到曼联输就高兴。就有比如把高兴建立在别人的痛苦上。没办法。自己球队本季表现一般，甚至还差到不得了。寻找不到娱乐，就是来看曼联输。

Seriously I can accept City being the better club and the best club won, but I really cannot accept Chelsea and Liverpool fans are happy just because they want MU to lose. Seriously I don't really hate Liverpool and Chelsea. But damn those fans really bug me. I can stay cool, but to totally ignore is almost impossible. I'm human, and Man United is a part of me - it grows in me.

送给那些很喜欢看曼联输的人：
  
如果你看球是为了看曼联输而高兴，那么您的人生还蛮是个悲剧。小子看球是因为看球的确精彩，有趣。或许我寻索娱乐的方式，是一些没眼光的人永远都察觉不到的...

战场归战场。踢完球就该握手和好。而不是抱着仇恨，把自己的快乐建立在别人的痛苦上。若你觉得你没错，我也没有话好说。 若你觉得利物浦，切尔西，阿森纳已经没有办法让你快乐，而你唯一看球的娱乐是看到曼联输而高兴，那英超自从2001年到现在，你高兴过几次？


Once a Devil, always a Devil. Congratulations to Man City, 2011/2012 BPL season champions.

Changed?

I may not be a guy who has experienced any relationships, be it puppy love, monkey love or what so ever. But still it is very surprisingly for me to believe, and keep on believe, that love is the greatest thing of them all. I have no proof, no evidence, nor first hand experience of it. It's like a follower who believes in God yet doesn't sees him or feels him at all.

I'm not gay nor bi. As a guy I am attracted to the opposite sex -Girls/Women. And yes over the 23 years I have done what a man would have done the same since I don't-know-when - try to win the heart of the girl I like.

I think I'm sociable. And I am one hell of a socialite. I'm good, no, awesome around guys and girls, even guy and girl. So to those who don't really know much about my relationship background, there are those who are really stunned or surprised that over 23 years of life, I haven't succeed in a relationship, let alone kissed a girl. Well I think it's normal la. Come on there must be some forever alone people in this world right? If I'm one of them, then I accept it. Happily. :)

Anyway I wasn't like that last time (long time ago, since puberty struck and when you realized guys actually are attracted to girls.) Every time when a girl knows I like her, from the first crush till the latest one, they'd give me the cold shoulder, no, "hollow man" treatment(there are 3 girls who did not do that la thankfully). As if I'm not there. As if what I say and do is nothing to them (except the 3 of crushes la again).

But then in the end even the 3 girls did not give me the "hollow man" treatment, they'd still hurt me deep. In fact they hurt me the deepest I think! So basically every time I get a crush, I end up emo. How emo? Everytime I thought it was the most emo feeling of them all when it comes. Never did I know the following failed crushes were more and more emo than the past...

I never believed in God. Nor do I believe in wishes, shooting stars and what so ever. But every now and then when I find myself holding joss sticks, praying for festivals or family traditions, or when it is the time of the year when I close my eyes before I put out the candles in front of me, I always wish for happiness, abundance of them to be given to the girl on my mind on that current moment.

Yes I also also do pray and wish sometimes, that they would sometimes just take a look at me, and realized, hey, this is a good guy I'm letting go (I'm a good guy I swear!). What am I doing. I'd hope that even if I never did win their heart, at least if it flutters a bit, can you tell me that you're touched and thankful for what I did?

Yes. It used to be like that. But things changed. Maybe I got tired. Maybe I am fed up. Maybe it's meant to be. This year's Chinese New Year had me praying for world peace, and my birthday wish was also something similar. There was no special girl in my mind, that I would have prayed for and wished for her happiness.

I like it that way. And I hope it stays that way. If possible. Forever... 

My current dream involves me traveling around the world, seeing things and probably staying place to place. With that dream of mine, it doesn't gives me the responsibility to really find a girl friend, let alone build a family. Rather than hope for finding another half who will bring happiness to me, I rather redefine happiness as doing something or relishing something I love.  

I'm no sad Forever Alone. I'm proud to be one.

The Rise Of The Blue Moon?

As a loyal-but-hopefully-not-biased-when-it-comes-to-logic Red Devil fan, I have to admit I had my hearts set on grabbing an unexpected win at Etihad Stadium against our noisy neighbors. But after watching the match for just 5 minutes, I'd changed my mind for just a draw. United was totally helpless and played, if not too harsh, very lousily. Seriously SAF, what did you guys trained at Wales? Well apart for the defenses who were quite steady (shaky till during approaching the end of the game), the other sectors looked terrible, not even threatening City's Joe Hart.

What went wrong?

SAF always have the knack of fielding Ji-Sung Park when it comes to big matches. But excuse me, fielding Ji-Sung Park at big matches, when it really did work, was just 2 seasons ago, mind you, against Liverpool and Arsenal. And plus, fielding Ji-Sung against Barca in the finals of Champions League was also a big mistake, where Nani should have been fielded.

So yesterday's match saw SAF again favoring the South Korean. Not that I have a grudge against this guy, but seriously guys, I wouldn't field Ji Sung who hasn't been playing regularly and again, with unknown form. And another surprise was Nani got the nod ahead of the on-form Valencia... The line up itself has already shocked me. And playing a make shift defense that differ from the one's that leaked 4 goals for Everton does seem a bit unexpected too, cause in terms of form, Evans certainly got the edge over Smalling.

When a team plays lousily, it's always the mid-field's fault. Rule of thumb. United's midfield were all over the place. Nani had no freedom down the flanks, crosses were nullify; plus playing only Rooney as a lone striker means only he himself will be in the box to accept feeds from wingers. Park was dispossessed most of the time. Even though Scholes controlled the midfield quite well, Park and Nani are the one's to blame for United's dispossession in mid-field.

Fielding a lone striker just made job easier for City. Just man mark Rooney and threat gone. Man Utd barely troubled Joe Hart, and were always scraping to defend once they were dispossessed. Practically, I'd just say I wasted my time, my precious sleeping time watching a lousy performance by United getting beaten by their rivals, and saw a big blow towards our 20th title chase.

Maybe the approach of the game was wrong. Maybe what SAF had in mind was to hold against City's firepower, who come into this match with the mentality to attack. But then again not having a good defensive midfield and Vidic at the back, devoting full time defense is not going to work against City's attacking squad. The best defense is always to attack and hold possession.

Another thing that should be noted was, City players come into this match with hunger. Their attack was lively; Nasri was causing havoc with his dribbling, and so was Yaya Toure and co. United players were playing for a draw, but things did not went well and they were buried by their own defensive tactics when Kompany rose and headed in the solitary goal of the match.

What to do?

Like it or not, this season may seem over. Unless City slip up, which is quite impossible from my perspective. United may end up trophy-less this season. I hope being trophy-less would actually wake SAF up to really splash some cash on the transfer market and getting rid of under-performing players. Chelsea have already signed Marin just for 7million pounds while Arsenal bagged Podolski for a fee of an estimated 11million, which for me both are really bargains too good to be true.

I had an argument with a Man Utd fan on a Man Utd page earlier, where he opted for SAF to acquire another defender while I was all in for a new mid-fielder. Well obviously if you can see things right now, we do really need a mid-fielder, if not 2. Shinji Kagawa of Borrusia Dortmound have already rejected an offer to stay, and from reports he'll leave for just a mere 5million pounds is even better than buying Podolski for 11 million or Marin with 7 million. Carrick's form is erratic and there should be a good replacement or plan B (maybe Carrick should just be plan B).

And please no Goatze or Hazard. Both of them are way too expensive. Plus, we have more than enough wingers already. We just need a solid playmaker and a good defensive mid-field. And if the news on Berba is leaving, then we should invest in another striker.

Regarding current crops of players, sorry but Anderson has to go. He's been injured most of the time and although he's really crafty, but it's no use having a player who can just give you 10 matches of essence a season and then get carried off to the injury room. Fletcher may not be playing for United again means the list of our central midfield grows ever thin. Even Cleverley is a long term absentee. Players like Giggs and Scholes should not be made to play every match at their current age, although they still can contribute.

Hernandez should be groomed into a goal poacher rather than a super-sub. I'd rather see Hernandez as Van Nistelrooy's shadow rather than Ole Gunnar Solskjær. Fielding him beside Rooney is better than having Rooney partnering Welbeck, who also looses possession quite easily. Seriously I really don't understand why Fergie would favor Welbeck over Hernandez...

Chelsea and Arsenal have already started preparing for next season. SAF should proceed too. And hopefully he does it right this time. *prays hard.

There is still a mathematical probability that Man Utd can end up as champions. I haven't given up. But it's already time to plan for next season... :)

Dear god. I just want Kagawa. Is that too big a wish to grant?

Seriously this guy is GOOD!