HERE ARE SOME SPECTACULAR PHOTOS OF MICHAEL PHELPS, THE MAN WHO HAS CAPTURED THE IMAGINATION OF THE WORLD WITH HIS TRULY OLYMPIAN FEAT -- WINNING EIGHT GOLD MEDALS IN AN OLYMPICS GAME. PICTURES ARE FROM THE VENERABLE NEW YORK TIMES.
POSSIBLY THE MOST FAMOUS OLYMPIAN AT THE BEIJING 2008 OLYMPICS: MICHAEL PHELPS
IT'S A DIRTY TRICK BUT THE RUSSIANS DID WHAT ANY MILITARY TACTICIAN WOULD PREDICTABLY DO -- WHILE THE WORLD WAS DISTRACTED BY THE IRRESISTIBLE PULL OF THE OLYMPICS GAMES, THE RUSKIES PULLED OFF AN ATTACK ON GEORGIA. IT IS A CASE OF TEXT-BOOK WAR TACTICS FOR THE MODERN MEDIA-SATURATED AGE. AND A VERY SAD DEVELOPMENT, CONSIDERING THE LOSS OF SO MANY LIVES.
VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS PULLED OFF A COUP AS A RUSSIAN, BUT WORLD LEADERS AND PUBLIC OPINION ARE AGAINST THE ATTACK ON GEORGIA. THE UNFORTUNATE THING IS THAT AS THE WORLD FROWNS ON WHAT THE RUSSIANS HAVE DONE -- PUTIN'S FROWN OUTDOES THEM ALL! :-(
FOR THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHS AND COMMENTARIES AND NEWS REPORTS ON THE BEIJING OLYMPICS 2008, I'D STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT READERS LOG ON TO THE NEW YORK TIMES (NYT) WEBSITE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE OF THIS ENTRY. I WILL DO MY BEST TO UPLOAD PHOTOS FROM NYT ON THIS BLOG SO THAT YOU CAN IMMEDIATELY SEE THE PHOTOS WITHOUT HAVING TO LOOK FOR THEM ON THE NYT WEBSITE.
(PLEASE NOTE THAT SOME PHOTOS ARE TAKEN BY NYT'S OWN TEAM OF PHOTOGRAPHERS WHILE OTHERS ARE FROM WIRE SERVICES LIKE REUTERS, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, GETTY IMAGES ETC. NYT HAS AN EXCEPTIONAL KNACK FOR CHOOSING THE BEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL IMAGES FROM ITS OWN IN-HOUSE TALENTS OR FROM OTHER NEWS PROVIDERS.)
ENJOY!
THESE PHOTOS OF SWIMMING-LEGEND-IN-THE-MAKING -- MICHAEL PHELPS -- WERE POSTED ON NYT.
THE OLYMPICS IS UNDERWAY AND THE GYMNASTICS ARE QUITE A DRAW INDEED, IN TERMS OF VIEWERSHIP.
BUT I DO WONDER IF THE PARALLEL BARS AND THE OTHER EQUIPMENT USED BY THE VARIOUS GYMNASTS ARE NOT UP TO OLYMPICS STANDARDS. THERE ARE JUST WAY TOO MANY GYMNASTS FALLING OFF THEIR ROUTINES OR LANDING BADLY AFTER AN ALMOST FLAWLESS PERFORMANCE. (THIS WAS ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY -- THE 9TH AND 10TH OF AUGUST 2008.)
LET'S FACE IT -- ALTHOUGH CHINA HAS DONE AN INCOMPARABLE JOB IN ORGANISING THE BEIJING OLYMPICS, ON THE OTHER HAND CHINESE MANUFACTURERS, BUSINESSMEN, FARMERS ETC HAVE A HABIT OF PASSING OFF SUB-STANDARD PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN THE NAME OF PROFIT. COULD THE "TOOLS OF THE TRADE" THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO GYMNASTS BE OF SUB-STANDARD QUALITY?
THIS HAS TO BE IMMEDIATELY CHECKED AND CORRECTED. I THINK A REMATCH SHOULD BE ALLOWED THE GYMNASTS SO THAT THE TRUE STARS WILL SHINE AT WHAT THEY DO BEST.
It is quite pleasing to note that two local TV stations have taken the standard of Malaysian news reporting to excellent heights.
First and foremost is, of course, Bernama TV. This excellent TV stations has solid news anchors and an excellent palette of Malaysian news coverage that gives viewers quite an extensive view of life in Malaysia. The many faces on the Bernama TV are news veterans and it is good to see them doing well.
Next, although I am only placing it second to Bernama TV, Astro Awani can surprise viewers with exceptionally relevant and extremely current interview segments (like Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek appearing on Analisis Awani to talk about MCA and its battle to remain relevant as a political party for the Chinese Malaysiana -- this episode aired on Saturday, 9th August 2008 at 4.30pm)
The interview with Dr Chua was an eye opener as Dr Chus spoke excellent Bahasa Malaysia and spoke in a very clear and concise manner on what he feels MCA needs to do. Dr Chua is definitely a leader of high caliber in Malaysia and it is good to see capable and intelligent men like him given air time to talk about politics.
The surprise hit amongst the recent batch of movies for me was the Christopher Nolan-directed Batman sequel, The Dark Knight.
What a compelling movie it turned out to be thanks to the wonderful performance from Heath Ledger and Nolan's gripping script. The ovie just kept going to greater and greater heights -- challenging each character to their limits and showing what a malevolent character Ledger's Joker was.
The Joker has no special gadgets or armour or tricks -- he practically gives the middle finger to the Grim Reaper in his relentless deathwish -- and is such a malevolent force that he is truly frightening. The Joker unleashes a staggering amount of mayhem with the most minimal of effort. In addition, the humour with which Ledger plays the Joker only adds to his multidimensionality -- especially when he dresses up as a nurse or does his neat disappearing pencil trick.
The pathological side of the Joker also emerges when he keeps feeding others different variations of how he ended with a scarred face, making his origins a true mystery. He tells lies effortlessly
Go see this movie to get a glimpse of what a genius of a performance Ledger gives us all, before his untimely death.
WOW! WHAT A SPECTACULAR SHOW THE CHINESE PUT UP AT THE OPENING OF THE 2008 OLYMPICS IN BEIJING. THE BIRD'S NEST STADIUM IS A WORK OF ART ND THE ORGANISATION OF THE OPENING CEREMONY WAS PRCTICALLY FLAWLESS. CHINA HAS IMPRESSED THE WORLD AND NOW THE ATHLETES -- BOTH CHINESE AND THE REST OF THEM -- ARE GOING TO AWE THE WORLD'S POPULATION FOR THE NEXT 16 DAYS!
HURRAH FOR THE OLYMPICS! CONGRATS TO THE CHINESE ON A VERY IMPRESSIVE AND CLASSY SHOWING!
