I’ve been busy these few days, and I was denied the routine of sitting down and read the newspaper over my usual cuppa tea. So pardon the awkward timing of the comment on this particular news. Okay, this news was taken from The Star Malaysia, Wednesday 13 August 2008, entitling, The Singer Who Didn’t Sing.

For those who wondered what this is all about, this, people, is about the little girl, Lin Miaoke who starred in the Olympic Opening ceremony was miming her words while the real singer, the girl depicted in the bottom left of the picture, Yang Peiyi was shoved off in a corner because the Chinese authority who are in charge of the Olympic opening ceremony considered her ‘not pretty enough’ to be presented to the public.

It was revealed that the real singer, Yang Peiyi does not have stage fright or anything that could have prevented her from performing live in the ceremony, and yet they had chosen another girl who can barely sing without going off key to mime during the opening ceremony. This disgust me to no end. She had crooked teeth, a bit chubby and looking typically Chinese and in comparison to Lin Miaoke, she’s not so cute. But what gives the Chinese authority the rights to shove her in a little corner while a girl who was chosen purely because of her looks with no talents in singing or whatsoever to enjoy the limelight?

What exactly are they trying to tell the world? Are they trying to douse us with the cold reality that looks is actually VERY important that it is okay to fake it? Does the real singer look so monstrously ugly that they took away what is actually her rights? This is Olympic, for god sake. Olympic is all about talents, efforts and ability to compete, not about looks, and yet they ‘nailed’ it during the opening ceremony. I’m disappointed. So much about playing fair.

To me, this is an insult to my intelligence. To everyone’s intelligence, in fact. But then again, this does not only happen in China, does it? It happens everywhere in almost every industry, and every part of the world, only in different ways. God knows how many ‘singers’ who couldn’t sing a tune are enjoying the limelight just by lip syncing, and we’ll definitely have no idea how many ghost writers/painters it is out there while the ones with good looks or loaded with money and power enjoys the fame and strictly denies the ones who look ‘not so passable’ what is actually theirs.

Personally, I’m a bit worried for the girl who was thrown in the limelight because of her looks. They had somehow taught her that as long as she have good looks, it is all right not to be talented and enjoy whatever it is coming her way. I wonder what will become of her. She’s still so young and yet faking it already. If people do not change their ways and their perspective of ‘talents’, I shudder to think what will become of both girls…

Cleffairy: Human are created by God, and so, to me, saying another God’s creation is ugly and not good enough to be publicly displayed is an insult to God’s creation.

No, I’m not talking about loosing virginity, people! Get you head out of the gutter. *chuckles* Yours truly over here had ice cream in a playground after a long day at work (you know, from the Paddle Pop uncle), and had an opportunity sitting down and observe the surrounding. I haven’t been to a playground for quite some time now, and I thought watching childish display of excitement by the kids who were playing in the playground is a good way to find a little bit of peace in my already hectic life.

But boy, was I wrong. Playground is actually not a place to relax. Not when I recalled that there are many unwanted things happened to children in the playground as soon as I sat down. Playground can be a very dangerous place if children are left there playing without supervision. They can get injured, kidnapped or even raped in a playground. I sighed as I thought of those things, suddenly, some voices caught my attention and snapped me back into the realm of reality. The shouting and yelling of a mother to a child and her maid caught my attention, and this is what I heard. Please pardon the inaccuracy in my storytelling, because the actual conversation happened in Cantonese.

Mother: Why did you bring her down here to play? I told you she’s not allowed to play here at all!

Maid: Maam, she wanted to come out and play for a while, so I thought it’s okay…she’s been doing her homework, and she said she’s bored.

Mother: Homework are not supposed to be fun, and she is going to be late for her piano lesson! Get her back here at once! Bathe her and prepare her for piano class. Tonight, she is not allowed any TV. Why, you rotten thing, you are spoiling my child! Go and get her at once!

Maid: Yes, maam.

And so, the maid walked over to the swing solemnly, and talked to a child which gave me a shock. The girl is just about 4 years old, and her jovial smile while she was swinging on the swing was wiped away from her face immediately when she saw her mother from afar. The child then walked to her mother and tried to hold her hand, but before she could manage to do that, the mother began to reprimand her for not doing her homework and for playing in the playground. Her hands dropped to her side immediately as her mother continued to scold her. She was told to grow up and behave well and not to mix around with ‘the kids in the playground’ or she’ll end up growing up as a useless rubbish because she can never compete with other children who are well raised up by their parents.

The girls innocent and happy expression was gone immediately, replaced by a stony expression that I could not read at all. It’s an expression that I can’t ever imagine could be written in on a face of a child as young as that. That expression belongs to a child forced to grow up before it’s time.

I was aghast. Something is not right here. The child is not even a primary school girl and she’s forced to endure this sort of ‘education’ and ‘discipline’ by the mother? Why, though I would never deny that education and discipline is essential in a child’s upbringing in order to prepare them to face this competitive world better, but I’m against robbing a child off their childhood. To me, education and discipline ought to be balanced with a dash of childhood fun.

I honestly could not blame the mother fully for wanting to prepare her child and educate her to face the competitive world, after all, our education system is requiring academic excellence in every students, and if we do not wish to be left behind, we’ll have to keep up and excel. A mother would always want the best for her child, but is this the best for a child? Is it right to rob them off their childhood and strapped them with the burden of our education system just because we want the children to strive? This is not right.

It is a common notion amongst many parents and educators here that children need to be taught things and that this teaching needs to be done by the professionals. Hence, learning is institutionalized and heavily outsourced to certified professionals who are supposed to know what they are doing.

But we forget that it is children’s inherent nature to be inquisitive, playful and creative, especially in their formative years, and this natural way of learning about the world around them is important in giving them a sense of self and security. By giving them the mental and physical space to grow and explore, we are giving them the freedom to develop their self-esteem and personal interests.

By forcing children to grow up and be mature before they had explored their own little world, that, to me, is taking their innocence away from them, because they will grow up lacking human touch in pursuit of academic excellence. They’ll grow up being stony, selfish and lack humane emotions. I could not bring myself to imagine what kind of world it’ll be if every child is to grow up lacking in humanity department.

Cleffairy: What harm is it to allow a young child to play once in a while? All work and no play makes a child dull, after all.

I’m having post-Olympic opening ceremony sickness, and I can’t seem to get a decent shuteye because my stomach is giving me troubles after I torture it with a load of fingerfood and some junkies my late grandma wouldn’t even recognize as food. As I sit across the laptop, browsing for some decent stories to read and some nice new movies to watch, a text message came in, saying that there will be a demonstration in front of the Bar Council near the Brickfields area, Kuala Lumpur as early as 8am in the morning.  I groaned and whined to myself, “Not again”. This time those ‘I have nothing to do but protest’ people are protesting against the forum pertaining to conversion to Islam hosted by The Malaysian Bar Council.

I’m not so sure what it’s all about, but all these overgrown children seems not to be pleased by the forum hosted by the Bar Council. They felt that it’s threatening the Malays as well as Islam as the official religion of Malaysia. These overgrown children are planning to throw a huge tantrum by gathering 10,000 Muslim in front of the bar council early morn and shout their head off in disatisfaction. Why can’t these people spare us some peace and serenity? And why the hell are these people can easily feel intimidated and insecure and yet claimed that they are classified in the most ‘supreme’ species in Malaysia? I don’t have answers to my own question, and I wonder if there’s anyone out there who can kindly enlighten me.

I just don’t get it. Why the hell are they are so irritated by the forum to be hosted by the bar council that they feel the need to disrupt a peaceful Saturday morning and gives trouble to the rest of KL citizens who are not involved in their venting? Why can’t they just let the forum goes on, it’s not as if they are demanding for Islam to be phrobited in Malaysia or something. They are simply going to sit down and discuss the rights of converts and laws that are protecting them, that’s all. I feel that the bar council is right in hosting the forum, after all, they are going to discuss it in a civilized manner, unlike the overgrown children who are huffing and puffing like a madcow and snarling to force people to fulfill their demands and play it their way.

I’m a big fan of marching and merry occasion, but I’m definitely not a fan of protests and demonstrations. I just feel it’s dumb, and will never get what they want unless they are on the government’s side, cause massive traffic jams and endless irritation to those who are not participating in the protest and the list could go on and on and on.

It looks like it’s going to be another one of those boring weekend where I lock myself in just because it’s going to be some sort of hell out there caused by overgrown children with beard, moustache and loudspeakers.

I read The Star newspaper yesterday night(because I simply can’t find time to do anything else besides working) and caught an article that caused me to mutter blasphemy. This is the particular article that was responsible for Cleffairy’s creatively uttered vulgarities. Thank god my family were not around to hear me cursing. Blasphemy and vulgarities is actually a no no in my parent’s house. LOL.

The article below was taken from The Star Malaysia, 7th August 2008, Wednesday,

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

KUALA LUMPUR: Her marriage seemed perfect but it turned into a nightmare when Salwanis Ma’az’s foreigner husband left the country with their three-month-old baby.

The 31-year-old research officer said her Pakistani husband Nasir Mahmood Qadri Nisar Ahmed, 39, took their son Muhammad Bilal to a family gathering on July 26.

“He refused to take me along, saying that it was a private gathering,” said Salwanis, who later went to search for him at the KL International Airport (KLIA).

Pining for son: Salwanis holding up photos of her husband and baby who are believed to be in Dubai.

She said the police at KLIA alerted the Immigration Department, which subsequently traced him to Dubai.

“They told me he boarded a flight to Dubai at 11.14am the same day,” Salwanis told reporters at a press conference organised by Putera Umno here yesterday.

He called her the next day to tell her he would be going to Johannesburg, South Africa.

“I didn’t expect this at all, as he was a religious man who lived according to the Sunnah. He has always treated me well. However, I have never met his family except for a female cousin,” said Salwanis.

The couple met on the Internet and married here last year after a whirlwind courtship.

She said her husband had an import-export business in sports goods and they later opened a supermarket in Serdang Jaya.

“Now that he’s gone, I have to pay the monthly installments for our car and for the supermarket premises,” she said, adding that she lodged a police report on July 28.

“Parents must do a background check on the future husbands of their daughters , especially if they are foreigners, to avoid cases like this,” said Putera chairman Datuk Abdul Azeez, adding that the movement would help Salwanis find her son.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

There’s so many bachelors and single MALAYSIAN men available and yet these foolish women go for those exotic foreigners! Don’t they know that most of these creeps probably marry Malaysian woman for free sex and domestic caregivers? What’s so good about all these foreigners anyway? Their dick is thicker than average Malaysian men? Hello, ladies, it’s not about the size or the shape, it’s how those men uses them! What good is a big dick when they have ‘expiry’ dates?

Don’t give me the ‘love is blind’ thing. Love is never blind unless you turn blind eyes to it. Romance and ‘love’ is sheer bullshit when it comes to these foreigners who probably courted Malaysian women who are idiotic enough to believe their proclamation of love marry them, screw them legally without condoms, make them pregnant and then bagged the women’s money and fly away and never to be heard of again after some time. In this case, the man not only bagged her child away for good, but he also left her with some financial burden.

While my women’s intuition sympathized this particular lady for loosing her son to the creep she have the cheek to call her ‘husband’, I really wished I could tell her how idiotic she was to marry him after a short period of courtship, bears him a son and yet not knowing who the hell is the rest of his family. Just take a look at this particular paragraph:

I didn’t expect this at all, as he was a religious man who lived according to the Sunnah. He has always treated me well. However, I have never met his family except for a female cousin,” said Salwanis.The couple met on the Internet and married here last year after a whirlwind courtship.

Oh my god, this is just so…(kindly insert your favourite vulgar word). She did not expect this kind of thing is coming? Please don’t tell me that she never heard of such cases where foreign husbands bangs them and then leave them with all sort of headaches to deal with? The guy is a religious man and live according to sunnah, you say, and you didn’t expect him to do this sort of things to you because he is RELIGIOUS. RELIGIOUS my ass!

The guy probably treats the woman well because she put good food on the table, a roof over his head and passable sex session in his bed. Had it not occurred to the woman that the guy probably marries her for a purpose? If he did not marry her for purpose, why he did not bothered to introduce her to his family except for a ‘female cousin’ who in reality is probably also his wife who cannot bear him a child?

Now, this news really irks me. When will these people ever learn? The answer to my question is probably NEVER. They will never learn and they seems to turn blind eyes to similar previous news like these where a foreigner marries a local for citizenships or PR or even for the sake of convenience during their stay in Malaysia. When these sort of things happened, do these women honestly think that they can easily get back their child? Think again…even if the child is located, there will be a fight between two country’s court. And it’ll be a hell of custody fight because it’ll get two countries involved.

Cleffairy: It’s already going to be 080808, and I wish many couple out there who register their marriage on this date a smooth sailing in their matrimony and may they never encounter such thing like the article above.

There’s so many thing going on in August 2008. Olympic is coming, woohoo, two more days to go, as well as the Hungry Ghost Festival. 8.8.2008 is also coming, so by all means, please avoid Thean Hou Temple as well as other marriage registration spot to avoid massive traffic jams, because there are so many couples decided to mark their relationship by getting married on that ‘auspicious’ date. Personally, I don’t really think that the ‘date of marriage’ matters much, as long as couples love each other and honour all of their matrimonial oath, then I think everything will be all right.

Then, my fellow Malaysians, there’s this particular date…you guys know what date? It’s 31st August. Hmm, what date is it? Is it Princess Diana’s death day anniversary? Yes, it is, but this particular date bears a bigger significance to fellow Malaysians than Princess Diana’s death anniversary. This coming 31st August marks 51 years of our country’s independence from British colonial.

I’m writing this over my tea and sandwich, so pardon the gibberish. Eating also makes me think, and I’m truly wondering why the government is not making much effort to celebrate Independence day this year? Why? 51 years of independence from British colonial is not as important as celebrating 50 years of independence? Our government take great pains to promote last year’s independence day which marks our 50 years of independence, but I don’t see they’re doing anything to promote it this year. Am I missing something here? Did they do anything to promote our independence day this year? By this date, last year, free Malaysian flags and stuff has been distributed generously but this year, there’s not a whisper about ‘Merdeka’ at all. Being independent for 50 years is more important than being independent for 51 years? Why are the government not campaigning for independence day this year? No money? But then again, it seems that they had allocate some amount for the Permatang Pauh by-election. Why can’t they do the same for independence day?

Obviously, I’m not missing anything. The government seems to forget about our independence day in the midst of POLITICKING and busy trying to gain the citizen’s support in the coming Permatang Pauh’s by election, contested by big bananas and small bananas alike. The Election Commission has set Aug 16 for nomination and Aug 26 for polls for the Permatang Pauh by-election, and everyone seems to be busy for that particular by lection. Ah yes. To the government and most politicians our there, campaigning for the by election is far more important than celebrating being liberated from British’s clutches for 51 years.

In their quest for power, the government and opposition alike seems to be forgetting their root. If our forefathers was not visionary and patriotic enough to send delegates to England and request Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II to grant us independence, those power thirsty creeps don’t even stand chance to be contesting in the Permatang Pauh by-election. They’ll probably go around shouting “Long live the Queen” or “Lord save the Queen” instead of “I’ll bring down fuel price by yadda yadda cents” or “Trust me, I’ll make your life better if I become the PM tomorrow”.

Seeing the politicians behaving like some forgetful and ungrateful bastards who only have interest power and money instead of the citizens, I wonder if being free from the clutch of British’s claw is good after all. Long gone are the patriotic spirit, and long gone are the spirit of enriching our own citizens. Is this coming 31st August going to mark 51 years of independence or it’s just going to be another free off day for us to sleep at home? I can no longer answer that because obviously, we are not really independent and liberated in many ways.

Cleffairy: I used to look forward to celebrating independence day because it reminds me to be grateful of what I have today, but I can’t say the same this year. I can only be grateful that my family is with me instead of being grateful for a prosperous country.

In the midst of political dramas, Malaysians seems to be forgetting something very important. An event that is meant to unite nations of the world in friendly match…what’s that? It’s O.L.Y.M.P.I.C… Yes! Olympic! Haha. Ah, yours truly over here is looking forward to Olympic, though she’s not an athletic person. Olympic gives  me the joy of sitting in front of the idiot box with my family and friends over loads of junkies. Olympic gives me the reason to cheer with joy over athletes victories as well as the exhiliration of the athletes competing against each other. But the reason I love Olympic the most is the sheer joy of being able to spend time with family and friends together. Olympic have so many sporting event and it can never bores me with only one specific sport. Olympic definitely gives me the ‘feel good feelings’.

Now, about the host of 2008 Olympic event- Beijing, China. Beijing was elected the host city on July 13, 2001, during the 112th IOC Session in Moscow, beating Toronto, Paris, Istanbul, and Osaka. Prior to the session, five other cities (Bangkok, Cairo, Havana, Kuala Lumpur, and Seville) submitted bids to the IOC but failed to make the short list in 2000. After the first round of voting, Beijing held a significant lead over the other four candidates. Osaka received only 6 votes and was eliminated. In the second round, Beijing was supported by an absolute majority of voters, eliminating the need for subsequent rounds.

The 2008 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad is a Summer Olympics event, that will be held in Beijing, People’s Republic of China from August 8 to August 24, 2008 and followed by the 2008 Summer Paralympics from September 6 to September 17. 10,500 athletes are expected to compete in 302 events in 28 sports, just one event more than was on the schedule of the 2004 games.

Oh my god, that’s just 6 days ahead! Be prepared for adrenaline rush, people! Let’s cheer for Malaysia or your favourite athlete( because I kinda doubt our athletes will be bringing back much gold medal) 🙁

One more thing about Olympic is their mascot. I’ve always love those cute mascot. Through various Olympic documentary, I get to know various mascots, like Hodori of Seoul, Izzy of Atlanta as well as Syd, Millie and Ollie of Sydney. But the mascot this time drives me crazy! Crazy in a good way, that is, because they have 5 mascot to represent Beijing Olympic games. They are known as Fuwa, literally means ‘Lucky Dolls/Good luck dolls.

The 2008 Olympic Mascots are the five Fuwa .The Fuwa consist of five members that incorporate fish, giant panda, olympic flame, Tibetan antelope, and swallow designs. The Fuwa each have as their primary colour, one of the colours of the five Olympic Rings that stand for the five continents. The five Fuwa are named Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini. When the first syllable of each of the five names are said together, the result is the phrase 北京欢迎你 (BÄ›ijÄ«ng huānyíng nÄ­) which means “Beijing welcomes you”. Cleverly designed, isn’t it?

 And they even have a cartoon series for people to watch. Fuwa, aired on 8tv every Monday-Wednesday, 4pm. I’ve been taping it and damn, did they do a good job in promoting the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their color and inspiration, Fuwa will serve as the Official Mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carrying a message of friendship and peace — and good wishes from China — to children all over the world. Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends, Fuwa also embody the natural characteristics of four of China’s most popular animals — the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow — and the Olympic Flame. Each of Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name — a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow. When you put their names together — Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni — they say “Welcome to Beijing,” offering a warm invitation that reflects the mission of Fuwa as young ambassadors for the Olympic Games. Fuwa also embody both the landscape and the dreams and aspirations of people from every part of the vast country of China. In their origins and their headpieces, you can see the five elements of nature — the sea, forest, fire, earth and sky — all stylistically rendered in ways that represent the deep traditional influences of Chinese folk art and ornamentation. Spreading Traditional Chinese Good Wishes Wherever They Go In the ancient culture of China, there is a grand tradition of spreading good wishes through signs and symbols. Each of Fuwa symbolizes a different blessing — and will honor this tradition by carrying their good wishes to the children of the world. Prosperity, happiness, passion, health and good luck will be spread to every continent as Fuwa carry their invitation to Beijing 2008 to every part of the globe. At the heart of their mission — and through all of their work — Fuwa will seek to unite the world in peace and friendship through the Olympic spirit. Dedicated to helping Beijing 2008 spread its theme of One World, One Dream to every continent, Fuwa reflect the deep desire of the Chinese people to reach out to the world in friendship through the Games — and to invite every man, woman and child to take part in the great celebration of human solidarity that China will host in the light of the flame in 2008. In China’s traditional culture and art, the fish and water designs are symbols of prosperity and harvest. And so Beibei carries the blessing of prosperity. A fish is also a symbol of surplus in Chinese culture, another measure of a good year and a good life. The ornamental lines of the water-wave designs are taken from well-known Chinese paintings of the past. Among Fuwa, Beibei is known to be gentle and pure. Strong in water sports, she reflects the blue Olympic ring. Jingjing makes children smile — and that’s why he brings the blessing of happiness wherever he goes. You can see his joy in the charming naivety of his dancing pose and the lovely wave of his black and white fur. As a national treasure and a protected species, pandas are adored by people everywhere. The lotus designs in Jingjing’s headdress, which are inspired by the porcelain paintings of the Song Dynasty (A.D.960-1234), symbolize the lush forest and the harmonious relationship between man and nature. Jingjing was chosen to represent our desire to protect nature’s gifts — and to preserve the beauty of nature for all generations. Jingjing is charmingly naïve and optimistic. He is an athlete noted for strength who represents the black Olympic ring. In the intimate circle of Fuwa, Huanhuan is the big brother. He is a child of fire, symbolizing the Olympic Flame and the passion of sport — and passion is the blessing he bestows. Huanhuan stands in the center of Fuwa as the core embodiment of the Olympic spirit. And while he inspires all with the passion to run faster, jump higher and be stronger, he is also open and inviting. Wherever the light of Huanhuan shines, the inviting warmth of Beijing 2008 — and the wishful blessings of the Chinese people — can be felt. The fiery designs of his head ornament are drawn from the famed Dunhuang murals — with just a touch of China’s traditional lucky designs. Huanhuan is outgoing and enthusiastic. He excels at all the ball games and represents the red Olympic ring. Like all antelopes, Yingying is fast and agile and can swiftly cover great stretches of land as he races across the earth. A symbol of the vastness of China’s landscape, the antelope carries the blessing of health, the strength of body that comes from harmony with nature. Yingying’s flying pose captures the essence of a species unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the first animals put under protection in China. The selection of the Tibetan Antelope reflects Beijing commitment to a Green Olympics. His head ornament incorporates several decorative styles from the Qinghai-Tibet and Sinkiang cultures and the ethnic design traditions of Western China. Strong in track and field events, Yingying is a quick-witted and agile boy who represents the yellow Olympic ring. Every spring and summer, the children of Beijing have flown beautiful kites on the currents of wind that blow through the capital. Among the kite designs, the golden-winged swallow is traditionally one of the most popular. Nini’s figure is drawn from this grand tradition of flying designs. Her golden wings symbolize the infinite sky and spread good-luck as a blessing wherever she flies. Swallow is also pronounced “yan” in Chinese, and Yanjing is what Beijing was called as an ancient capital city. Among Fuwa, Nini is as innocent and joyful as a swallow. She is strong in gymnastics and represents the green Olympic ring.

 Seriously, I’m looking forward to this coming Olympic. The Chinese has definitely outdone themselves this time. And I hope you guys out there are looking forward to chill out with your loved ones too this coming Olympic! Take a break, chill out and enjoy the excitement 😛

The video below is an official introduction to the five Beijing Olympic Games mascot 2008.

 [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdFtSJfmBzM]

Cleffairy: I’m a patriotic person, as much as I’d like my country to host the Olympic games, I thank God that Malaysia was not chosen as the 2008 Olympic host. Olympic is supposed to represent prosperity, unity and stabililty, which Malaysia sadly lacked these days. Just imagine what kind of a international laughingstock we would be if we were to host it this year.

In the midst of political dramas, Malaysians seems to be forgetting something very important. An event that is meant to unite nations of the world in friendly match…what’s that? It’s O.L.Y.M.P.I.C… Yes! Olympic! Haha. Ah, yours truly over here is looking forward to Olympic, though she’s not an athletic person. Olympic gives  me the joy of sitting in front of the idiot box with my family and friends over loads of junkies. Olympic gives me the reason to cheer with joy over athletes victories as well as the exhiliration of the athletes competing against each other. But the reason I love Olympic the most is the sheer joy of being able to spend time with family and friends together. Olympic have so many sporting event and it can never bores me with only one specific sport. Olympic definitely gives me the ‘feel good feelings’.

Now, about the host of 2008 Olympic event- Beijing, China. Beijing was elected the host city on July 13, 2001, during the 112th IOC Session in Moscow, beating Toronto, Paris, Istanbul, and Osaka. Prior to the session, five other cities (Bangkok, Cairo, Havana, Kuala Lumpur, and Seville) submitted bids to the IOC but failed to make the short list in 2000. After the first round of voting, Beijing held a significant lead over the other four candidates. Osaka received only 6 votes and was eliminated. In the second round, Beijing was supported by an absolute majority of voters, eliminating the need for subsequent rounds.

The 2008 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad is a Summer Olympics event, that will be held in Beijing, People’s Republic of China from August 8 to August 24, 2008 and followed by the 2008 Summer Paralympics from September 6 to September 17. 10,500 athletes are expected to compete in 302 events in 28 sports, just one event more than was on the schedule of the 2004 games.

Oh my god, that’s just 6 days ahead! Be prepared for adrenaline rush, people! Let’s cheer for Malaysia or your favourite athlete( because I kinda doubt our athletes will be bringing back much gold medal) 🙁

One more thing about Olympic is their mascot. I’ve always love those cute mascot. Through various Olympic documentary, I get to know various mascots, like Hodori of Seoul, Izzy of Atlanta as well as Syd, Millie and Ollie of Sydney. But the mascot this time drives me crazy! Crazy in a good way, that is, because they have 5 mascot to represent Beijing Olympic games. They are known as Fuwa, literally means ‘Lucky Dolls/Good luck dolls.

The 2008 Olympic Mascots are the five Fuwa .The Fuwa consist of five members that incorporate fish, giant panda, olympic flame, Tibetan antelope, and swallow designs. The Fuwa each have as their primary colour, one of the colours of the five Olympic Rings that stand for the five continents. The five Fuwa are named Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini. When the first syllable of each of the five names are said together, the result is the phrase 北京欢迎你 (Běijīng huānyíng nĭ) which means “Beijing welcomes you”. Cleverly designed, isn’t it?

 And they even have a cartoon series for people to watch. Fuwa, aired on 8tv every Monday-Wednesday, 4pm. I’ve been taping it and damn, did they do a good job in promoting the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their color and inspiration, Fuwa will serve as the Official Mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carrying a message of friendship and peace — and good wishes from China — to children all over the world. Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends, Fuwa also embody the natural characteristics of four of China’s most popular animals — the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow — and the Olympic Flame. Each of Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name — a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow. When you put their names together — Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni — they say “Welcome to Beijing,” offering a warm invitation that reflects the mission of Fuwa as young ambassadors for the Olympic Games. Fuwa also embody both the landscape and the dreams and aspirations of people from every part of the vast country of China. In their origins and their headpieces, you can see the five elements of nature — the sea, forest, fire, earth and sky — all stylistically rendered in ways that represent the deep traditional influences of Chinese folk art and ornamentation. Spreading Traditional Chinese Good Wishes Wherever They Go In the ancient culture of China, there is a grand tradition of spreading good wishes through signs and symbols. Each of Fuwa symbolizes a different blessing — and will honor this tradition by carrying their good wishes to the children of the world. Prosperity, happiness, passion, health and good luck will be spread to every continent as Fuwa carry their invitation to Beijing 2008 to every part of the globe. At the heart of their mission — and through all of their work — Fuwa will seek to unite the world in peace and friendship through the Olympic spirit. Dedicated to helping Beijing 2008 spread its theme of One World, One Dream to every continent, Fuwa reflect the deep desire of the Chinese people to reach out to the world in friendship through the Games — and to invite every man, woman and child to take part in the great celebration of human solidarity that China will host in the light of the flame in 2008. In China’s traditional culture and art, the fish and water designs are symbols of prosperity and harvest. And so Beibei carries the blessing of prosperity. A fish is also a symbol of surplus in Chinese culture, another measure of a good year and a good life. The ornamental lines of the water-wave designs are taken from well-known Chinese paintings of the past. Among Fuwa, Beibei is known to be gentle and pure. Strong in water sports, she reflects the blue Olympic ring. Jingjing makes children smile — and that’s why he brings the blessing of happiness wherever he goes. You can see his joy in the charming naivety of his dancing pose and the lovely wave of his black and white fur. As a national treasure and a protected species, pandas are adored by people everywhere. The lotus designs in Jingjing’s headdress, which are inspired by the porcelain paintings of the Song Dynasty (A.D.960-1234), symbolize the lush forest and the harmonious relationship between man and nature. Jingjing was chosen to represent our desire to protect nature’s gifts — and to preserve the beauty of nature for all generations. Jingjing is charmingly naïve and optimistic. He is an athlete noted for strength who represents the black Olympic ring. In the intimate circle of Fuwa, Huanhuan is the big brother. He is a child of fire, symbolizing the Olympic Flame and the passion of sport — and passion is the blessing he bestows. Huanhuan stands in the center of Fuwa as the core embodiment of the Olympic spirit. And while he inspires all with the passion to run faster, jump higher and be stronger, he is also open and inviting. Wherever the light of Huanhuan shines, the inviting warmth of Beijing 2008 — and the wishful blessings of the Chinese people — can be felt. The fiery designs of his head ornament are drawn from the famed Dunhuang murals — with just a touch of China’s traditional lucky designs. Huanhuan is outgoing and enthusiastic. He excels at all the ball games and represents the red Olympic ring. Like all antelopes, Yingying is fast and agile and can swiftly cover great stretches of land as he races across the earth. A symbol of the vastness of China’s landscape, the antelope carries the blessing of health, the strength of body that comes from harmony with nature. Yingying’s flying pose captures the essence of a species unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the first animals put under protection in China. The selection of the Tibetan Antelope reflects Beijing commitment to a Green Olympics. His head ornament incorporates several decorative styles from the Qinghai-Tibet and Sinkiang cultures and the ethnic design traditions of Western China. Strong in track and field events, Yingying is a quick-witted and agile boy who represents the yellow Olympic ring. Every spring and summer, the children of Beijing have flown beautiful kites on the currents of wind that blow through the capital. Among the kite designs, the golden-winged swallow is traditionally one of the most popular. Nini’s figure is drawn from this grand tradition of flying designs. Her golden wings symbolize the infinite sky and spread good-luck as a blessing wherever she flies. Swallow is also pronounced “yan” in Chinese, and Yanjing is what Beijing was called as an ancient capital city. Among Fuwa, Nini is as innocent and joyful as a swallow. She is strong in gymnastics and represents the green Olympic ring.

 Seriously, I’m looking forward to this coming Olympic. The Chinese has definitely outdone themselves this time. And I hope you guys out there are looking forward to chill out with your loved ones too this coming Olympic! Take a break, chill out and enjoy the excitement 😛

The video below is an official introduction to the five Beijing Olympic Games mascot 2008.

 [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdFtSJfmBzM]

Cleffairy: I’m a patriotic person, as much as I’d like my country to host the Olympic games, I thank God that Malaysia was not chosen as the 2008 Olympic host. Olympic is supposed to represent prosperity, unity and stabililty, which Malaysia sadly lacked these days. Just imagine what kind of a international laughingstock we would be if we were to host it this year.

In the midst of political dramas, Malaysians seems to be forgetting something very important. An event that is meant to unite nations of the world in friendly match…what’s that? It’s O.L.Y.M.P.I.C… Yes! Olympic! Haha. Ah, yours truly over here is looking forward to Olympic, though she’s not an athletic person. Olympic gives  me the joy of sitting in front of the idiot box with my family and friends over loads of junkies. Olympic gives me the reason to cheer with joy over athletes victories as well as the exhiliration of the athletes competing against each other. But the reason I love Olympic the most is the sheer joy of being able to spend time with family and friends together. Olympic have so many sporting event and it can never bores me with only one specific sport. Olympic definitely gives me the ‘feel good feelings’.

Now, about the host of 2008 Olympic event- Beijing, China. Beijing was elected the host city on July 13, 2001, during the 112th IOC Session in Moscow, beating Toronto, Paris, Istanbul, and Osaka. Prior to the session, five other cities (Bangkok, Cairo, Havana, Kuala Lumpur, and Seville) submitted bids to the IOC but failed to make the short list in 2000. After the first round of voting, Beijing held a significant lead over the other four candidates. Osaka received only 6 votes and was eliminated. In the second round, Beijing was supported by an absolute majority of voters, eliminating the need for subsequent rounds.

The 2008 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad is a Summer Olympics event, that will be held in Beijing, People’s Republic of China from August 8 to August 24, 2008 and followed by the 2008 Summer Paralympics from September 6 to September 17. 10,500 athletes are expected to compete in 302 events in 28 sports, just one event more than was on the schedule of the 2004 games.

Oh my god, that’s just 6 days ahead! Be prepared for adrenaline rush, people! Let’s cheer for Malaysia or your favourite athlete( because I kinda doubt our athletes will be bringing back much gold medal) 🙁

One more thing about Olympic is their mascot. I’ve always love those cute mascot. Through various Olympic documentary, I get to know various mascots, like Hodori of Seoul, Izzy of Atlanta as well as Syd, Millie and Ollie of Sydney. But the mascot this time drives me crazy! Crazy in a good way, that is, because they have 5 mascot to represent Beijing Olympic games. They are known as Fuwa, literally means ‘Lucky Dolls/Good luck dolls.

The 2008 Olympic Mascots are the five Fuwa .The Fuwa consist of five members that incorporate fish, giant panda, olympic flame, Tibetan antelope, and swallow designs. The Fuwa each have as their primary colour, one of the colours of the five Olympic Rings that stand for the five continents. The five Fuwa are named Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini. When the first syllable of each of the five names are said together, the result is the phrase 北京欢迎你 (Běijīng huānyíng nĭ) which means “Beijing welcomes you”. Cleverly designed, isn’t it?

 And they even have a cartoon series for people to watch. Fuwa, aired on 8tv every Monday-Wednesday, 4pm. I’ve been taping it and damn, did they do a good job in promoting the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their color and inspiration, Fuwa will serve as the Official Mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carrying a message of friendship and peace — and good wishes from China — to children all over the world. Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends, Fuwa also embody the natural characteristics of four of China’s most popular animals — the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow — and the Olympic Flame. Each of Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name — a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow. When you put their names together — Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni — they say “Welcome to Beijing,” offering a warm invitation that reflects the mission of Fuwa as young ambassadors for the Olympic Games. Fuwa also embody both the landscape and the dreams and aspirations of people from every part of the vast country of China. In their origins and their headpieces, you can see the five elements of nature — the sea, forest, fire, earth and sky — all stylistically rendered in ways that represent the deep traditional influences of Chinese folk art and ornamentation. Spreading Traditional Chinese Good Wishes Wherever They Go In the ancient culture of China, there is a grand tradition of spreading good wishes through signs and symbols. Each of Fuwa symbolizes a different blessing — and will honor this tradition by carrying their good wishes to the children of the world. Prosperity, happiness, passion, health and good luck will be spread to every continent as Fuwa carry their invitation to Beijing 2008 to every part of the globe. At the heart of their mission — and through all of their work — Fuwa will seek to unite the world in peace and friendship through the Olympic spirit. Dedicated to helping Beijing 2008 spread its theme of One World, One Dream to every continent, Fuwa reflect the deep desire of the Chinese people to reach out to the world in friendship through the Games — and to invite every man, woman and child to take part in the great celebration of human solidarity that China will host in the light of the flame in 2008. In China’s traditional culture and art, the fish and water designs are symbols of prosperity and harvest. And so Beibei carries the blessing of prosperity. A fish is also a symbol of surplus in Chinese culture, another measure of a good year and a good life. The ornamental lines of the water-wave designs are taken from well-known Chinese paintings of the past. Among Fuwa, Beibei is known to be gentle and pure. Strong in water sports, she reflects the blue Olympic ring. Jingjing makes children smile — and that’s why he brings the blessing of happiness wherever he goes. You can see his joy in the charming naivety of his dancing pose and the lovely wave of his black and white fur. As a national treasure and a protected species, pandas are adored by people everywhere. The lotus designs in Jingjing’s headdress, which are inspired by the porcelain paintings of the Song Dynasty (A.D.960-1234), symbolize the lush forest and the harmonious relationship between man and nature. Jingjing was chosen to represent our desire to protect nature’s gifts — and to preserve the beauty of nature for all generations. Jingjing is charmingly naïve and optimistic. He is an athlete noted for strength who represents the black Olympic ring. In the intimate circle of Fuwa, Huanhuan is the big brother. He is a child of fire, symbolizing the Olympic Flame and the passion of sport — and passion is the blessing he bestows. Huanhuan stands in the center of Fuwa as the core embodiment of the Olympic spirit. And while he inspires all with the passion to run faster, jump higher and be stronger, he is also open and inviting. Wherever the light of Huanhuan shines, the inviting warmth of Beijing 2008 — and the wishful blessings of the Chinese people — can be felt. The fiery designs of his head ornament are drawn from the famed Dunhuang murals — with just a touch of China’s traditional lucky designs. Huanhuan is outgoing and enthusiastic. He excels at all the ball games and represents the red Olympic ring. Like all antelopes, Yingying is fast and agile and can swiftly cover great stretches of land as he races across the earth. A symbol of the vastness of China’s landscape, the antelope carries the blessing of health, the strength of body that comes from harmony with nature. Yingying’s flying pose captures the essence of a species unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the first animals put under protection in China. The selection of the Tibetan Antelope reflects Beijing commitment to a Green Olympics. His head ornament incorporates several decorative styles from the Qinghai-Tibet and Sinkiang cultures and the ethnic design traditions of Western China. Strong in track and field events, Yingying is a quick-witted and agile boy who represents the yellow Olympic ring. Every spring and summer, the children of Beijing have flown beautiful kites on the currents of wind that blow through the capital. Among the kite designs, the golden-winged swallow is traditionally one of the most popular. Nini’s figure is drawn from this grand tradition of flying designs. Her golden wings symbolize the infinite sky and spread good-luck as a blessing wherever she flies. Swallow is also pronounced “yan” in Chinese, and Yanjing is what Beijing was called as an ancient capital city. Among Fuwa, Nini is as innocent and joyful as a swallow. She is strong in gymnastics and represents the green Olympic ring.

 Seriously, I’m looking forward to this coming Olympic. The Chinese has definitely outdone themselves this time. And I hope you guys out there are looking forward to chill out with your loved ones too this coming Olympic! Take a break, chill out and enjoy the excitement 😛

The video below is an official introduction to the five Beijing Olympic Games mascot 2008.

 [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdFtSJfmBzM]

Cleffairy: I’m a patriotic person, as much as I’d like my country to host the Olympic games, I thank God that Malaysia was not chosen as the 2008 Olympic host. Olympic is supposed to represent prosperity, unity and stabililty, which Malaysia sadly lacked these days. Just imagine what kind of a international laughingstock we would be if we were to host it this year.