12 July 2010, bossip
In the end, it’s Spain hoisting the 2010 FIFA World Cup trophy. It’s the first World Cup championship for Spain, the pre-tournament favorite, which defeated Netherlands 1-0 in the World Cup final. Spain is the eighth country to win the World Cup, and the first first-time winner since France won in 1998. Andrés Iniesta scored the eventual game-winner in the final minutes of extra time. Spain capitalized on the man advantage, after Netherlands defender John Heitinga was sent off. The win came after a rough game, that featured plenty of yellow cards, but no scoring during regulation.
Spain is now the first country to win the World Cup after losing its first contest. La Furia Roja fell to Switzerland in a shocking upset to open the tournament before regaining form.
Since that loss, Spain — the Group H winner — has won six consecutive matches, including an arresting 1-0 win against Germany in the semifinal to reach the World Cup final. FIFA already recognized Spain’s impressive run by placing three Spanish players on the shortlist for Golden Ball award nominees, more than any other team. Note: The game got off to a curious start when Jimmy Jump, a man notorious for his sporting event invasions, attempted to place a hat on the World Cup trophy.
A bird in Singapore has forecast that Holland will beat Spain in the World Cup final.
Football fans in Spain and the Netherlands react after Paul the psychic octopus predicts a Spanish victory at the World Cup 2010.
Paul picks the mussel from the jar with the Spanish flag
Octopus oracle Paul is predicting Spain will beat Germany in the World Cup semifinal by choosing a winning mussel from two jars in his tank.
A “psychic” octopus in Germany, which appears to have correctly predicted every World Cup game involving the national team so far, has picked Spain over Germany in the semi-final.
Paul, from the Sea Life Aquarium in the western city of Oberhausen, chose a mussel from a jar with the Spanish flag instead of one with a German flag.
The two-year-old cephalopod has become a national celebrity.
According to his owners, he has a record of predicting German results.
They say Paul chose the winner in nearly 70% of Germany’s games during the 2008 European Championship.
He correctly predicted all five of the team’s previous World Cup games – including a shock defeat by Serbia in the group stages.
His prognosis ahead of Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final was broadcast live on German TV.
Correspondents says Paul’s plumping for Spain has caused alarm in the country, but some analysts point out that his predictive powers are not perfect.
During Euro 2008 he wrongly picked Germany as the victor against Spain.
Football’s psychic sea creature – Paul The Octopus – is making yet another World Cup prediction. But this time, the eight-tentacled oracle is betting on Spain winning the semi-final against his home country, Germany. Paul has a perfect record when it comes to predicting the outcome of Germany’s World Cup matches. So fans better keep their fingers crossed for Wednesday’s clash. The psychic cephalopod’s even gained a few worldwide followers of his own. And there’s no truth to the rumour that if Paul turns out to be right this time, he could end up on the sushi menu.
23 June 2010
Fengshui followers believe that there is a “fengshui bowl” in Penang which has taken care of the welfare of Penang residents, providing them with ample food and clothing.
The “fengshui bowl” in question is indeed an inversed giant white bowl perched atop the Soo Beng Dispensary building at the corner of Carnarvon Street and Prangin Road.
Soo Beng Dispensary was set up by Dr Lim Chwee Leong, father of former Penang Chief Minister Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, and the magnificent European style building housing it was built in 1914.
A property valuation, trading and management company named “CA Lim & Co” located below the pharmacy is run by the the third generation of the Lim family, namely Lim Chong Eu’s son Lim Chien Aun.
Central location
The giant “fengshui bowl” positioned upside down signifies that food has been poured into the building and the site it is located. The bowl is at the centre of the street corner and its round wall corner makes the building look like an ancient castle.
When Dr Lim Chwee Leong built it, he might not have thought that he would some day have a son who was going to become the Chief Minister of Penang, and this son would have a deep impact on the island of Penang.
The giant bowl represents the prosperity of Penang today and this ancient castle-style building has gone on to signify the political power of the former Gerakan administration in Penang and an early prediction of the rise of Lim Chong Eu.
Tun Dr Lim was born on the 28 May 1919, the fifth year after the building was built.
Transforming Penang
Chen Bi Jian, a long-time resident at Carnarvon Street and old friend of the Lim family, believes in the legend of the “fengshui bowl.”
Nevertheless, he bemoans the destruction of the bowl’s fengshui after Lim Chong Eu bowed out of politics in 1990 after being the chief minister for 21 years.
Lim is known as Penang’s father of development as he successfully transformed Penang from a fishing port into an international electronic manufacturing hub.
Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu was an extraordinary leader as he did not like to flatter wealthy people. Story of the rivalry between him and Penang’s richest man Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew used to be the talk of the town.
Kind doctors
Chen Bi Jian is the owner of the famous red house in Penang: old beer wholesaler “Chen Jian Cheng” on upper Carnarvan Street, while Soo Beng Dispensary is situatied at the lower section of the same street. Chen himself has been one of Lim Chong Eu’s most loyal supporters.
Chen told Sin Chew Daily that Soo Beng Dispensary was the clinic of both Doctors Lim.
Dr Lim Chwee Leong was indeed a kind doctor as he would not collect medical fees from his poor patients. He always told his son that they had to be concerned about the welfare of their patients.
Cradle of politics
After Lim Chong Eu relinquished his power to Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who used to be a political aide of Lim Chong Eu, in 1990, Soo Beng Dispensary went out of operation.
Chen added that Lim Chong Eu and his father were both very kind-hearted doctors and therefore many people would express their appreciation by sending them gifts during festive seasons.
Lim Chong Eu was also kind to the neighbours. For example, he once sponsored a poor student so that he could pursue his studies at a university.
Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu was kind and friendly to the poor and would always try his best to help, especially the hawkers. The mobile hawker stalls in Penang, such as the night markets at Gurney Drive, Dato Keramat and the Esplanade, were established based on his idea, and he was subsequently known as the “Father of Penang mobile night markets.” (Translated by LIM LIY EE/Sin Chew Daily)
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Ang Lee is one of today’s greatest contemporary film makers. A native of Pingtung Taiwan, he graduated from the National Taiwan College of Arts in 1975 and came to the United Sates where he received a BFA Degree in Theatre/Theatre Direction at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He also received his Masters degree in Film Production at New York University. His first film was Pushing Hands in 1992. He has received numerous Golden Globe and Oscar nominations and is probably best know for his film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon which won the Oscars for Best Foreign Film and was the highest grossing foreign-language film ever released in America.
