Friday, April 13, 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Friday, April 06, 2007
Music to a football fan's ears
From Soccernet
Wigan's Whelan promises cheapest season tickets
Dave Whelan has promised Wigan fans the cheapest season-ticket prices in the Premiership next season should the club avoid relegation.
Earlier this year, the Latics chairman slashed matchday ticket prices to £15 and £20 - depending on opposition - in a bid to boost attendances for the club's final seven league games.
Now Whelan is planning to go one step further for the 2007-08 term should manager Paul Jewell keep the struggling club in the top flight.
'The town is coming round to the idea that Wigan Athletic are a Premier League side,' said Whelan.
'We're going to help next season with ticket prices; we want to fill this ground, we want atmosphere.
'We're going to charge £15, no more than that for all games, while the season tickets are going to be so good and such a keen price.
'We're going to be the cheapest in the land because we do want to continue to build Wigan Athletic's crowds.
'Wigan Rugby League Club are a sell-out against St Helens, which is fantastic, and we want that for Wigan Athletic week in and week out.'
Whelan insists the new television deal that comes into force next season is the reason behind the dramatic reduction, and he feels other clubs should follow suit.
Speaking to Channel M, he added: 'There is no doubt it has to be done across the board.
'There are only four or five teams in the Premier League who can command prices of £30, £40, £50. We cannot go anywhere near that.
'But we've got to grasp the nettle and say to people `bring your family'.
'It's not cheap. Even for four of them, that's still £60 to watch a football match. That's an awful lot of money.
'But there's mountains of money in this game from television etc, to let people watch this game for as little as £10 to £15.
'So let's lower the prices, let's get people back enjoying the game.'
Wigan's Whelan promises cheapest season tickets
Dave Whelan has promised Wigan fans the cheapest season-ticket prices in the Premiership next season should the club avoid relegation.
Earlier this year, the Latics chairman slashed matchday ticket prices to £15 and £20 - depending on opposition - in a bid to boost attendances for the club's final seven league games.
Now Whelan is planning to go one step further for the 2007-08 term should manager Paul Jewell keep the struggling club in the top flight.
'The town is coming round to the idea that Wigan Athletic are a Premier League side,' said Whelan.
'We're going to help next season with ticket prices; we want to fill this ground, we want atmosphere.
'We're going to charge £15, no more than that for all games, while the season tickets are going to be so good and such a keen price.
'We're going to be the cheapest in the land because we do want to continue to build Wigan Athletic's crowds.
'Wigan Rugby League Club are a sell-out against St Helens, which is fantastic, and we want that for Wigan Athletic week in and week out.'
Whelan insists the new television deal that comes into force next season is the reason behind the dramatic reduction, and he feels other clubs should follow suit.
Speaking to Channel M, he added: 'There is no doubt it has to be done across the board.
'There are only four or five teams in the Premier League who can command prices of £30, £40, £50. We cannot go anywhere near that.
'But we've got to grasp the nettle and say to people `bring your family'.
'It's not cheap. Even for four of them, that's still £60 to watch a football match. That's an awful lot of money.
'But there's mountains of money in this game from television etc, to let people watch this game for as little as £10 to £15.
'So let's lower the prices, let's get people back enjoying the game.'
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Beware the power of the internet....
Guess this warning is repeated too often but nobody cares about it until it hits them. But a real story that happened during this week reminds us all not to be too yaya papaya behind the computer screen.
For starters if you have yesterday's Straits Times (040407) then may I refer you the first page of Home section.
The story goes like this... In late 2005, a young man took a MAZDA MX5 for a test drive along Upp Paya Lebar Rd. He flipped the car, crashed it into the opp direction road and in the process killed the young female SE. Time passed by and nothing was heard about the case.
However, recently, this driver went onto an online forum and opened a thread discussing about GOLF GTi vs WRX STi as he was considering changing his car. Nobody knew who that nick was and contributed comments but alas someone from the forum knows the female SE who died and recognised the nick of the thread starter. This guy was perhaps incensed that this guy still had not been brought to justice and was even thinking of changing to another performance ride. Thus he started another thread to remind people of this tragic incident. Initially the driver's details was not revealed but through trawling the internet, forumners unearthed his personal details like photo, home add, work place add, hp number, model of car he drives and even licence plate number. The thread soon spread to other forums like hardwarezone and was eventually picked up by a Straits Times journalist and led to the article today.
The GOLF vs WRX thread
Read the Straits Times Report in this thread
(The thread that the friend started was deleted by moderators...)
I am very uncomfortable with the amount of witch hunting that one can easily do in this internet day and age. Just like the girl in the "elitist" debate a few months ago, one's personal information can easily be dug up if one is determined/bo liao enough to go and trawl through the net. However what makes this case a bit special is that the guy probably dug his own grave... no matter whether he had been convicted of any wrongdoing or not.
Most people misunderstand that the intention is to witch hunt this guy but that is not the main bone of contention. The main issue is that starting a thread to ask which performance car to buy when you cannot even handle a good car like the MX5? Doesn't really show that one is guilty after causing such a tragedy... His various other posts also exhibit that he is still rather reckless and a racer wannabe. Nobody is denying he has the legal right to buy another car but a normal person with conscience would probably think twice about buying a performance car, much less discuss it online. Secondly, why wasn't his driving licence suspended while investigations are still ongoing? If I speed above 60km/h above the speed limit I would be hauled to court immediately, what more flipping a car into the opposite lane and causing 1 death? And why are the investigations taking so long? Surely people's memory would fade the further the time taken?
With the power of the internet, more and more of such things will happen, and this hopefully will make people think twice about posting too much personal information online. Things would also be harder and harder to "sweep under the carpet". So if you have done something wrong, it is wiser to keep a low profile and repent...
I sincerely hope that the investigations can be closed ASAP and the punishment given. RIP to the female SE who died and condolences to the family of the deceased. It probably is painful for them to have this reminded all over again....
For starters if you have yesterday's Straits Times (040407) then may I refer you the first page of Home section.
The story goes like this... In late 2005, a young man took a MAZDA MX5 for a test drive along Upp Paya Lebar Rd. He flipped the car, crashed it into the opp direction road and in the process killed the young female SE. Time passed by and nothing was heard about the case.
However, recently, this driver went onto an online forum and opened a thread discussing about GOLF GTi vs WRX STi as he was considering changing his car. Nobody knew who that nick was and contributed comments but alas someone from the forum knows the female SE who died and recognised the nick of the thread starter. This guy was perhaps incensed that this guy still had not been brought to justice and was even thinking of changing to another performance ride. Thus he started another thread to remind people of this tragic incident. Initially the driver's details was not revealed but through trawling the internet, forumners unearthed his personal details like photo, home add, work place add, hp number, model of car he drives and even licence plate number. The thread soon spread to other forums like hardwarezone and was eventually picked up by a Straits Times journalist and led to the article today.
The GOLF vs WRX thread
Read the Straits Times Report in this thread
(The thread that the friend started was deleted by moderators...)
I am very uncomfortable with the amount of witch hunting that one can easily do in this internet day and age. Just like the girl in the "elitist" debate a few months ago, one's personal information can easily be dug up if one is determined/bo liao enough to go and trawl through the net. However what makes this case a bit special is that the guy probably dug his own grave... no matter whether he had been convicted of any wrongdoing or not.
Most people misunderstand that the intention is to witch hunt this guy but that is not the main bone of contention. The main issue is that starting a thread to ask which performance car to buy when you cannot even handle a good car like the MX5? Doesn't really show that one is guilty after causing such a tragedy... His various other posts also exhibit that he is still rather reckless and a racer wannabe. Nobody is denying he has the legal right to buy another car but a normal person with conscience would probably think twice about buying a performance car, much less discuss it online. Secondly, why wasn't his driving licence suspended while investigations are still ongoing? If I speed above 60km/h above the speed limit I would be hauled to court immediately, what more flipping a car into the opposite lane and causing 1 death? And why are the investigations taking so long? Surely people's memory would fade the further the time taken?
With the power of the internet, more and more of such things will happen, and this hopefully will make people think twice about posting too much personal information online. Things would also be harder and harder to "sweep under the carpet". So if you have done something wrong, it is wiser to keep a low profile and repent...
I sincerely hope that the investigations can be closed ASAP and the punishment given. RIP to the female SE who died and condolences to the family of the deceased. It probably is painful for them to have this reminded all over again....
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Kimchi is the flavour of the month...
345am in the morning and I still can't get to sleep... Trying to lull myself to sleep with songs from the Korean show Goong's OST.
Korean shows are hopelessly templated. The females would usually be the more inferior in status kind while the males would be rich/famous and invariably would be rather haughty/aloof. But fate would somehow make them come together and eventually the cute little ways of the female would melt the heart of the male.
But still I am a sucker for such shows.
I guess the key in the shows are that the scenes whereby they are happy together (think walking along the street holding hands or running along the beach) are SOOOO rare that when they do come, you just can't help but to go AWWWWWWW.....
The second vital ingredient is that the females must be rather hyper. ie they must be the poor but happy go lucky kind and have a radiant smile. So when they are weeping because of the male once again your heart would go AWWWWWW.....
If you have enough time/budget, throwing in another guy who likes the poor female lead but no matter what he does/say, cannot get her love (for her heart is with the aloof male lead), would not hurt at all...
Add to that a nice OST which interjects the happy/sad scenes at appropriate intervals and you have a recipe for a hit!
Why can't Singapore come up with such "romantic" shows? Coz we are too sceptical about our own local situation. All of us would inevitably go "ZUN BO?" if say a hawker's daughter helping out at the market can fall in love with the son of an MP... you get the drift? Dreams are always more believable if they are overseas. Local artistes also can't cut it. The females are (generally) not pretty enough while the males are even worse, not charismatic at all (Li Nanxing is getting old liao...). Hard to get good "dreamy" locations to shoot in Singapore also. Anyhow you get the drift... I guess overseas markets might actually like our productions if we manage to get one out, but our own people would find it hard to accept it....
All these Korean shows are making me too much of an idealist....
Korean shows are hopelessly templated. The females would usually be the more inferior in status kind while the males would be rich/famous and invariably would be rather haughty/aloof. But fate would somehow make them come together and eventually the cute little ways of the female would melt the heart of the male.
But still I am a sucker for such shows.
I guess the key in the shows are that the scenes whereby they are happy together (think walking along the street holding hands or running along the beach) are SOOOO rare that when they do come, you just can't help but to go AWWWWWWW.....
The second vital ingredient is that the females must be rather hyper. ie they must be the poor but happy go lucky kind and have a radiant smile. So when they are weeping because of the male once again your heart would go AWWWWWW.....
If you have enough time/budget, throwing in another guy who likes the poor female lead but no matter what he does/say, cannot get her love (for her heart is with the aloof male lead), would not hurt at all...
Add to that a nice OST which interjects the happy/sad scenes at appropriate intervals and you have a recipe for a hit!
Why can't Singapore come up with such "romantic" shows? Coz we are too sceptical about our own local situation. All of us would inevitably go "ZUN BO?" if say a hawker's daughter helping out at the market can fall in love with the son of an MP... you get the drift? Dreams are always more believable if they are overseas. Local artistes also can't cut it. The females are (generally) not pretty enough while the males are even worse, not charismatic at all (Li Nanxing is getting old liao...). Hard to get good "dreamy" locations to shoot in Singapore also. Anyhow you get the drift... I guess overseas markets might actually like our productions if we manage to get one out, but our own people would find it hard to accept it....
All these Korean shows are making me too much of an idealist....
Friday, March 23, 2007
Why you should be more considerate...
If you are one of those fuckers who think nothing about giving other ppl's rides a ding or two, hope this video makes you think twice... Remember, somewhere out there there will be a bigger fucker than you...
O'SHEA GOAL - MANCHESTER UNITED VS LIVERPOOL
Down to 10 men, totally outplayed, home of your biggest rivals, vital to get 3 points, last minute winner... Need I say more?
EPMS, or Enhanced Performance Management System
http://siewkumhong.blogspot.com/2007/03/of-soldiers-and-teachers.html
Read the post a couple of days ago and it seemed like a rude shock to me that being a very good teacher will only get you an average grade. Why the need to do OTHER things well? Doesn't that seem to run contrary to the logic of outsourcing etc? But then again there will still be problems assessing how good a person is purely by the students' results I guess... I just hope that PB isn't all that I would care about next time
Read the post a couple of days ago and it seemed like a rude shock to me that being a very good teacher will only get you an average grade. Why the need to do OTHER things well? Doesn't that seem to run contrary to the logic of outsourcing etc? But then again there will still be problems assessing how good a person is purely by the students' results I guess... I just hope that PB isn't all that I would care about next time
SAF leaders too young?
Just wanted to copy the article below, right or wrong, perhaps only a real war can tell....
From Today
US soldier takes potshots at SAF
Mindef responds to criticism over inexperienced scholars, soft soldiers, status of Malays
Loh Chee Kong
cheekong@mediacorp.com.sg
ARE Singapore's top military commanders too young and inexperienced?
.
Are they fast-tracked to the upper echelons because of their scholar credentials, while more experienced non-scholars or "farmers" — as they have been unceremoniously labelled — toil in vain?
.
Are soldiers here soft because of the emphasis on safety during training at the expense of realism?
.
And do officers lack professionalism and commitment because mandatory retirement at 45 means many see their time in uniform "as a stepping stone" to a second career in politics or business.
.
These questions, and several others, are the subject of a critique of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) published in United States-based journal Armed Forces & Society. The quarterly circulates some 2000 copies worldwide.
.
The article, which has made its rounds in Singapore and created a stir among the uniformed ranks, was written by an American soldier Sean Walsh, who was stationed at the United States Embassy in Singapore for several weeks in 2004, during his summer break from the US Military Academy.
.
In the article, The Roar of the Lion City, the writer also claimed that women have been held back from holding high posts in the SAF, and that there is a policy to keep Malays out of sensitive areas.
.
Despite his criticism of the SAF, Mr Walsh, who graduated from the US Army Ranger School, concluded his article by saying "there can be no doubt that the SAF is the most competent, well-equipped and best trained force in the whole of South-east Asia" — a claim the SAF itself has not made.
.
He also admitted that the SAF was "more than capable" of defending Singapore's borders, conducting peacekeeping missions and dealing with asymmetric threats in the wake of 911. It possessed a "world-class" special operations force which would not require outside assistance, he noted.
.
So, why the paradoxical praise and criticism of the SAF?
.
Mr Walsh, who is deployed in Germany, could not be contacted, but in his article he pointed to the age of SAF's top commanders — such as Brigadier-General Desmond Quek, who was 39 when he was promoted to the post of Army Chief — and concluded that "youth naturally corresponds to inexperience" and this "casts obvious doubts on their ability to lead in a conflict against battle-hardened troops".
.
However, responding to queries from Today, Col Benedict Lim, director of public affairs at the Ministry of Defence (Mindef), said: "The SAF does not seek out wars but will not flinch from putting its soldiers into harm's way to fulfil its primary mission of protecting the vital interests of our country."
.
He also pointed out that the SAF carries out about 70 exercises annually with other countries' armed forces, some of which have considerable combat experience, and has been praised for its professionalism. The SAF has also carried out humanitarian missions, for example during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.
.
Defence analyst Dr Alvin Chew told Today that the debate centred on Singapore's defence policy, which is based on diplomacy and deterrence. As such, the relative youthfulness of SAF officers, who are groomed in building bilateral or multi-lateral relationships with foreign militaries, was not a major drawback.
.
Also, given that fighting a war is not the Republic's most pressing concern, defence analyst Dr Bernard Loo said that early retirement meant that the SAF's best and brightest could be deployed for "broader or higher national purposes — whether it is in running the economy, or running the Government".
.
Defending Mindef's policy to aggressively recruit and offer scholarships to the "brightest and most capable young men and women", Col Lim said that the SAF, like the rest of the public sector, operates on the principle of meritocracy, and those "who do not perform adequately are released".
.
But are Singapore soldiers ready to be stand in harm's way?
.
Mr Walsh wrote that a heavy emphasis on safety and the fact that "any major injury or death causes a very public uproar among parents" has resulted in a force less than ready for deployment.
.
Taking a different view, Col Lim argued that "an emphasis on safety and rigorous, realistic training are not mutually exclusive" and that the SAF prepares its servicemen to "fight, survive and win" in battle.
.
As for women in uniform, Mr Walsh's claimed that one of the SAF's "greatest shortcomings" was that high rank and important commands were closed to most women. Admitting "there was no policy that pushes gender integration for its own sake", Col Lim said that women with proven merit in the SAF currently "command ships and army units, fly combat aircraft and serve in many combat vocations".
.
Perhaps the most controversial claim by the US soldier was that "official discrimination against the Malay population remains an open secret" and those of the race are "systematically kept out" of sensitive areas.
.
Mr Walsh claims that this has two major consequences: It "limits the involvement of the ethnic group most inclined to join the military" and it feeds the "perception of a second-class status among Malays, a fact which terrorist recruiters have taken advantage of before, and they may do so again" — referring to the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) members arrested in Singapore for plotting terrorist attacks.
.
Addressing this charge, Col Lim said: "The writer's prescription for ethnic integration in the SAF seriously underestimates the challenges of building ethnic and religious harmony in Singapore.
.
"Singapore has made much progress in ethnic and religious integration. Singapore does not gloss over the fact that there is yet more to be done and addresses these challenges directly and openly."
.
Stressing that integration in the SAF would proceed in tandem with nation-building, Col Lim added that there are a good number of Malay SAF officers, some with higher degrees, whose studies were sponsored by the SAF, and whether a Malay SAF officer makes it to a higher appointment depends solely on merit.
.
In fact, Malay officers have risen through the ranks and held senior appointments.
.
"We have Malay pilots, commandos and air defence personnel. Those who have shown the potential to take on higher appointments in the SAF are given every opportunity to do so. Malay officers in the SAF hold key appointments such as Commanding Officer," said Col Lim.
.
"In fact, the proportion of eligible Malays selected for specialist and officer training is similar to the proportion for eligible non-Malays."
.
Mr Zulkifli Baharudin, a Malay community leader and former Nominated MP, said that the JI arrests had shown that some Singaporeans "will not react primarily to our national interests and are not completely colour-blind in our instincts".
.
He added: "We have also seen in the past that events in India and China have had — and I'm putting it mildly — reverberations here."
From Today
US soldier takes potshots at SAF
Mindef responds to criticism over inexperienced scholars, soft soldiers, status of Malays
Loh Chee Kong
cheekong@mediacorp.com.sg
ARE Singapore's top military commanders too young and inexperienced?
.
Are they fast-tracked to the upper echelons because of their scholar credentials, while more experienced non-scholars or "farmers" — as they have been unceremoniously labelled — toil in vain?
.
Are soldiers here soft because of the emphasis on safety during training at the expense of realism?
.
And do officers lack professionalism and commitment because mandatory retirement at 45 means many see their time in uniform "as a stepping stone" to a second career in politics or business.
.
These questions, and several others, are the subject of a critique of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) published in United States-based journal Armed Forces & Society. The quarterly circulates some 2000 copies worldwide.
.
The article, which has made its rounds in Singapore and created a stir among the uniformed ranks, was written by an American soldier Sean Walsh, who was stationed at the United States Embassy in Singapore for several weeks in 2004, during his summer break from the US Military Academy.
.
In the article, The Roar of the Lion City, the writer also claimed that women have been held back from holding high posts in the SAF, and that there is a policy to keep Malays out of sensitive areas.
.
Despite his criticism of the SAF, Mr Walsh, who graduated from the US Army Ranger School, concluded his article by saying "there can be no doubt that the SAF is the most competent, well-equipped and best trained force in the whole of South-east Asia" — a claim the SAF itself has not made.
.
He also admitted that the SAF was "more than capable" of defending Singapore's borders, conducting peacekeeping missions and dealing with asymmetric threats in the wake of 911. It possessed a "world-class" special operations force which would not require outside assistance, he noted.
.
So, why the paradoxical praise and criticism of the SAF?
.
Mr Walsh, who is deployed in Germany, could not be contacted, but in his article he pointed to the age of SAF's top commanders — such as Brigadier-General Desmond Quek, who was 39 when he was promoted to the post of Army Chief — and concluded that "youth naturally corresponds to inexperience" and this "casts obvious doubts on their ability to lead in a conflict against battle-hardened troops".
.
However, responding to queries from Today, Col Benedict Lim, director of public affairs at the Ministry of Defence (Mindef), said: "The SAF does not seek out wars but will not flinch from putting its soldiers into harm's way to fulfil its primary mission of protecting the vital interests of our country."
.
He also pointed out that the SAF carries out about 70 exercises annually with other countries' armed forces, some of which have considerable combat experience, and has been praised for its professionalism. The SAF has also carried out humanitarian missions, for example during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.
.
Defence analyst Dr Alvin Chew told Today that the debate centred on Singapore's defence policy, which is based on diplomacy and deterrence. As such, the relative youthfulness of SAF officers, who are groomed in building bilateral or multi-lateral relationships with foreign militaries, was not a major drawback.
.
Also, given that fighting a war is not the Republic's most pressing concern, defence analyst Dr Bernard Loo said that early retirement meant that the SAF's best and brightest could be deployed for "broader or higher national purposes — whether it is in running the economy, or running the Government".
.
Defending Mindef's policy to aggressively recruit and offer scholarships to the "brightest and most capable young men and women", Col Lim said that the SAF, like the rest of the public sector, operates on the principle of meritocracy, and those "who do not perform adequately are released".
.
But are Singapore soldiers ready to be stand in harm's way?
.
Mr Walsh wrote that a heavy emphasis on safety and the fact that "any major injury or death causes a very public uproar among parents" has resulted in a force less than ready for deployment.
.
Taking a different view, Col Lim argued that "an emphasis on safety and rigorous, realistic training are not mutually exclusive" and that the SAF prepares its servicemen to "fight, survive and win" in battle.
.
As for women in uniform, Mr Walsh's claimed that one of the SAF's "greatest shortcomings" was that high rank and important commands were closed to most women. Admitting "there was no policy that pushes gender integration for its own sake", Col Lim said that women with proven merit in the SAF currently "command ships and army units, fly combat aircraft and serve in many combat vocations".
.
Perhaps the most controversial claim by the US soldier was that "official discrimination against the Malay population remains an open secret" and those of the race are "systematically kept out" of sensitive areas.
.
Mr Walsh claims that this has two major consequences: It "limits the involvement of the ethnic group most inclined to join the military" and it feeds the "perception of a second-class status among Malays, a fact which terrorist recruiters have taken advantage of before, and they may do so again" — referring to the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) members arrested in Singapore for plotting terrorist attacks.
.
Addressing this charge, Col Lim said: "The writer's prescription for ethnic integration in the SAF seriously underestimates the challenges of building ethnic and religious harmony in Singapore.
.
"Singapore has made much progress in ethnic and religious integration. Singapore does not gloss over the fact that there is yet more to be done and addresses these challenges directly and openly."
.
Stressing that integration in the SAF would proceed in tandem with nation-building, Col Lim added that there are a good number of Malay SAF officers, some with higher degrees, whose studies were sponsored by the SAF, and whether a Malay SAF officer makes it to a higher appointment depends solely on merit.
.
In fact, Malay officers have risen through the ranks and held senior appointments.
.
"We have Malay pilots, commandos and air defence personnel. Those who have shown the potential to take on higher appointments in the SAF are given every opportunity to do so. Malay officers in the SAF hold key appointments such as Commanding Officer," said Col Lim.
.
"In fact, the proportion of eligible Malays selected for specialist and officer training is similar to the proportion for eligible non-Malays."
.
Mr Zulkifli Baharudin, a Malay community leader and former Nominated MP, said that the JI arrests had shown that some Singaporeans "will not react primarily to our national interests and are not completely colour-blind in our instincts".
.
He added: "We have also seen in the past that events in India and China have had — and I'm putting it mildly — reverberations here."
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Outcasts in their own country, because of love...
Just wanted to take some time to copy the following article. Some of us might find it hard going to find that special someone in our life, and might be grumbling at our fate etc, but I guess we can still count our blessings that we most probably would not be in a situation like the couple below... Love should be able to unite, not separate... sad innit?
P/S, On a side note, as Gary Neville told John O'Shea, he had just completed the dream of a lifetime for many of us, scoring a last minute winner in front of the Kop for Man United in a vital game, now that's what life is all about...
---------------------------------------------------------------
From The Straits Times
March 4, 2007
STAR-CROSSED LOVERS IN WEST BANK
Love under fire
She's Jewish, he's Muslim - and they're treated as outcasts in Israel and Palestine
JERUSALEM - SHE is a 26-year-old Jewish Israeli. Her name is Jasmine Avissar. He is a 27-year-old Palestinian Muslim, Osama Zaatar.
Jasmine and Osama's tale is a love story, and it tells you so much about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
They met when they worked at the same place in Jerusalem, and three years ago they got married.
First they tried to live in Israel but the Israeli authorities would not allow Osama to join his wife there.
Then they tried living in the occupied West Bank, but some Palestinians made life difficult for them. Now they've given up and are moving to Europe.
'We ran out of choices of finding any solution to live in either Israel or Palestine,' says Jasmine as she packs her bags.
'We were naive and thought we could win this fight but we can't. So we have to go abroad and start a new life.'
Jasmine already has permission to go. Osama hopes to follow her soon. On the roof of their village home, the sunlight is so harsh you have to squint to look at the view. Stone walls hold earth terraces onto the hillsides, olive trees hundreds of years old dot the landscape.
'I feel like a stranger here,' says Osama. 'Even in my homeland. This place is a holy land, but they're killing each other. It's like it's already a lost cause. Here there's no chance. I just want to start again.'
They are an almost unique couple. Neither Israeli nor Palestinian society has accepted their marriage. On Jasmine's Israeli passport, it still says her marital status is 'under investigation'.
'Our marriage was a human thing. We just fell in love,' she says. 'The society around us is making it political. I feel like a refugee. The moment I decided not to be part of the mainstream, I was told that I was not a part of my country anymore.'
A taxi turns up and Osama helps Jasmine with her bags. The drive takes them through occupied Palestinian lands. They pass a tall grey Israeli army watchtower. They drive through army checkpoints. Israel has been in control here for almost 40 years.
'Even here in Osama's homeland, I am superior as an Israeli,' says Jasmine, as she looks out the window. 'It's easier for me to move around. The soldiers let me through checkpoints. They don't arrest me like they might arrest Osama.'
Jasmine has given up on her own country.
'Jewish people were abused for thousands of years, but my nation has switched from being victims to being abusers,' she says. 'That's hard for me to acknowledge. The Jewish people are occupiers now, and we are racist.'
The car arrives at a final checkpoint. Osama then explains why he has also given up on his own people.
'There were threats. People said if I brought my wife here we'd be in danger. Even my friends said that. They say I am a traitor,' he says. 'It makes me wonder whether I want to be a Palestinian any more. Some see me as some sort of Israeli envoy.'
They turn and walk the short distance to the checkpoint that leads out of the West Bank and into Israel. They put down their bags, and hug one another. There's a short kiss.
Asked what he hopes for from his new life, Osama replies: 'I want to be able to walk in the street and not be stopped by the Israeli army or police. I want to feel safe. I have never felt that.'
Jasmine smiles. 'I just want to be a normal couple, with normal problems about rent and money,' she says.
'I don't want to have these huge gigantic problems interfering in our marriage.'
Even now though, they are not quite free. Osama cannot go through the checkpoint with Jasmine. They don't know when he will be able to join her in Europe.
They are still a couple caught in the middle of the Israeli Palestinian conflict.
BBC NEWS
P/S, On a side note, as Gary Neville told John O'Shea, he had just completed the dream of a lifetime for many of us, scoring a last minute winner in front of the Kop for Man United in a vital game, now that's what life is all about...
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From The Straits Times
March 4, 2007
STAR-CROSSED LOVERS IN WEST BANK
Love under fire
She's Jewish, he's Muslim - and they're treated as outcasts in Israel and Palestine
JERUSALEM - SHE is a 26-year-old Jewish Israeli. Her name is Jasmine Avissar. He is a 27-year-old Palestinian Muslim, Osama Zaatar.
Jasmine and Osama's tale is a love story, and it tells you so much about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
They met when they worked at the same place in Jerusalem, and three years ago they got married.
First they tried to live in Israel but the Israeli authorities would not allow Osama to join his wife there.
Then they tried living in the occupied West Bank, but some Palestinians made life difficult for them. Now they've given up and are moving to Europe.
'We ran out of choices of finding any solution to live in either Israel or Palestine,' says Jasmine as she packs her bags.
'We were naive and thought we could win this fight but we can't. So we have to go abroad and start a new life.'
Jasmine already has permission to go. Osama hopes to follow her soon. On the roof of their village home, the sunlight is so harsh you have to squint to look at the view. Stone walls hold earth terraces onto the hillsides, olive trees hundreds of years old dot the landscape.
'I feel like a stranger here,' says Osama. 'Even in my homeland. This place is a holy land, but they're killing each other. It's like it's already a lost cause. Here there's no chance. I just want to start again.'
They are an almost unique couple. Neither Israeli nor Palestinian society has accepted their marriage. On Jasmine's Israeli passport, it still says her marital status is 'under investigation'.
'Our marriage was a human thing. We just fell in love,' she says. 'The society around us is making it political. I feel like a refugee. The moment I decided not to be part of the mainstream, I was told that I was not a part of my country anymore.'
A taxi turns up and Osama helps Jasmine with her bags. The drive takes them through occupied Palestinian lands. They pass a tall grey Israeli army watchtower. They drive through army checkpoints. Israel has been in control here for almost 40 years.
'Even here in Osama's homeland, I am superior as an Israeli,' says Jasmine, as she looks out the window. 'It's easier for me to move around. The soldiers let me through checkpoints. They don't arrest me like they might arrest Osama.'
Jasmine has given up on her own country.
'Jewish people were abused for thousands of years, but my nation has switched from being victims to being abusers,' she says. 'That's hard for me to acknowledge. The Jewish people are occupiers now, and we are racist.'
The car arrives at a final checkpoint. Osama then explains why he has also given up on his own people.
'There were threats. People said if I brought my wife here we'd be in danger. Even my friends said that. They say I am a traitor,' he says. 'It makes me wonder whether I want to be a Palestinian any more. Some see me as some sort of Israeli envoy.'
They turn and walk the short distance to the checkpoint that leads out of the West Bank and into Israel. They put down their bags, and hug one another. There's a short kiss.
Asked what he hopes for from his new life, Osama replies: 'I want to be able to walk in the street and not be stopped by the Israeli army or police. I want to feel safe. I have never felt that.'
Jasmine smiles. 'I just want to be a normal couple, with normal problems about rent and money,' she says.
'I don't want to have these huge gigantic problems interfering in our marriage.'
Even now though, they are not quite free. Osama cannot go through the checkpoint with Jasmine. They don't know when he will be able to join her in Europe.
They are still a couple caught in the middle of the Israeli Palestinian conflict.
BBC NEWS
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Which would you choose? Who is right?
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,123403,00.html
Sad story... I hope I never would have the misfortune of choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Sad story... I hope I never would have the misfortune of choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea.
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