THEY CALL ME NIJ...

Many happy returns baby!! It's been a blessing being with you. May all your dreams come true and you know I love you!

All it took was 4 minutes. First, a drive to the basket to stop Spain's run and stop Team USA's bleeding. Then it was a shot behind the arc followed by a drive and dish to Dwight Howard. Finally, to end Spain's hope of a miraculous upset, a 4-point play while also disqualifying red hot Fernandez with his fifth foul. Game over. He did exactly what they got him on the team to do.

Kobe Bryant did not need the entire Olympics to showcase his greatness. He needed 4 minutes. For the entire Games he took a backseat while letting youngsters LeBron and Wade show the rest of the world how the beautiful basketball can be. But when the game is on the line, all you need is a small dose of Kobe. Even with LeBron, Wade, Melo et al, you wouldn't want the ball in anybody else's hands but Kobe's when the game is on the line.

In the biggest game of the Olympics and possibly for the other 11 members of Tea USA, Kobe Bryant made it clear why there should be no dispute when it comes to the greatest player in the game today.

Being a Bryant (and subsequently a Lakers) fan even before he graced the league, I find it hard to believe or understand why there are so many haters out there.  I find it difficult to understand how do you hate a player who has almost perfected the game in every sense. When he first entered the league, I can understand how many perceive him as cocky, arrogant, overconfident, selfish. He is still all that, but over the years he has at least justified his reason for being all those things. However, the hating never stopped.

When he won 3 straight championships, there were haters.

When he scored 40 points in 9 straight games, there were haters.

When he broke the record with 11 threes in a game, there were haters

When he won MVP, there were even more haters.

But then again, Jesus had his haters too.

If you are a fan of the game itself and not the hype, maybe you can start to appreciate his god-given ability on court. If you play the game of basketball, you will start to realise how difficult it is to master the game the way Kobe has. Kobe has reached a level where he can strike fear into his defender even before the game is tipped off.

People even hated when he scored 81 points in a single game. ONE game. 81 points.

Try doing that in pickup games. No, try doing that by yourself without anyone defending you and see how difficult it is to reach 81.

What fans or haters don't get is that in 4 - 5 years, we may not see Kobe Bryant play basketball again. Haters have to even admit that watching Kobe play is like watching an artist in work. He makes the game look so easy. I wish I had the luxury of watching every game he plays because every time I do, I see things that I have never seen before or probably will ever again. And then I try to emulate it on the court and it gives me a further admiration of his basketball ability.

The NBA is fortunate that Kobe has inherited the status of Jordan. Unfortunately, what he has not inherited is the respect he deserves.

Like Jay Z, it gives Kobe even more reason to say "We'll see what happens when I no longer exist".

I know. And since I haven't watched The Godfather, I obviously haven't seen

Actually, not really Clockwork Orange but people tell me its good so I think I should.

Actually, there's more but that's all I can remember at the moment. Anyways, for those who have the above DVDs, kindly let me borrow them.

While I think the entire issue of this ad was overblown, I think it was more stupid than it was offensive.

Won't they at least sit down, brainstorm and think that maybe some people might not take the ad the way it was intended?  That while it was never meant to meant to be racially insulting, the media might turn this around and say it was? That to launch the ad just before the Olympics, that the Olympics is gonna be held in CHINA, that the Spanish team IS gonna play in China, maybe just a tad be wrongly timed?

Did they think that this was gonna make the Chinese smile and think this ad was a tribute to them? Really?

As a Chinese (however banana I may be), I was never insulted when I saw this ad. It just made me think of the stupidity of it all. There are three stupid parties to be blamed here:

1. The ad company for actually thinking this was a good idea: Granted that they (hopefully) never intended it as a racial statement and was actually a salute to the Chinese for the Olympics, but thinking that the ad and this picture won't be circulated around the world within minutes of it getting published is just plain dumb. Spain already has a bad reputation for being racist (the Thierry Henry motivation tactic by the coach, the monkey chants during the friendly vs England, the Lewis Hamilton issue during the Barcelona GP) and this ad doesn't help.

2. The Spanish basketball team for going along with this idea: Hello, maybe it slipped your mind that you are gonna be playing on the world's biggest sporting stage? And that stage happens to be in China?? As my dad would put it, "No cow sense!!".

3. The sporting company/sponsors for agreeing to publish this ad: If haven't heard, this whole thing was actually also to promote the fact that the Spanish Basketball team is sponsored by the Chinese sporting brand, Li-Ning (the Chinese Nike). For a Chinese company to think that this isn't degrading for the Chinese race is simply mind boggling. And to not retract the ad with an apology after it was blown out of proportion by the media is just stupid.

Try doing an ad featuring black people shown as slaves when the Olympics is hosted in Africa and let's see if its still funny.

The whole controversy was definitely overhyped and I doubt a lot of Chinese will take offense, but don't even try touching a sensitive issue. Having slit eyes isn't something the Chinese are proud of.

I just realise that I'm actually a very forward thinking person.

I struggle to wake up every morning for work. In the midst my struggle, I am already thinking of my schedule for the day and if I am able to come back early for an evening after-work nap.

I think its the only time where I actually plan ahead.

Nigel on Why He Smokes

BANGSAR: Renowned Bangsarian Nigel Gan defended his habit of smoking in a press conference held yesterday at Bangsar Village II. Gan was responding to recent questions raised about his habit of smoking.

Gan said his smoking habit is a long-term plan to stay healthy, stating that his smoking habit cuts down his need to binge on unhealthy snacks which may eventually lead to health problems.

"Please understand that the only reason I am smoking is because I am looking after my health. If I don't, I will develop a habit of eating snacks which causes obesity and diabetes.

"I am not saying that smoking is healthy, but in reality it is healthier then eating unhealthy food. It will also help me save money in the long run as smoking also helps reduce stress. I have studied all angles before deciding to start smoking" he said.

Gan also defended himself on another accusation of him being a shopaholic, stating it is also part of his long term plan to cut costs. "If I have the money now, why can't I buy the things I need? Isn't it better to buy now rather than buying in the future when prices are increasing everyday? Isn't this saving money?"

  - Reuters

They will forever be cherished.

Cartoons these days are rather lame compared to what we use to have during the 80s or early 90s. Although back then cartoons were mostly a marketing ploy to sell cool toys, I think the various concepts of the cartoons were cool, even though most of them had the basic good vs evil theme (and for some reason, all of them had cool helmets. I guess kids were very fascinated by helmets back then).

The Visionaries

M.A.S.K (Mobile Armored Strike Kommand)

And check out the cool toys we had! (I personally had this one!!)

Dino Riders

I distinctively remembered these toys being the coolest and most expensive. I think I only had 1 or 2 of these toys, and it would still be cool if it was selling today.

Thundercats

My brother had this poster in the room.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

I had Donatello.

The Real Ghost Busters

There were obviously more but these were personally my favourites. However, try watching it again now (they have episodes on youtube!) and it seems really stupid. The jokes, the animation, etc all seems quite weird and silly now. Try laughing at the one liner jokes they always have at the end of every episode, where the whole team will laugh together till the credits start rolling.

I still think cartoons back then were WAY cooler than the lame ones they have now:

I think there's no contest.