OSCAR 2006

OSCAR 2006 [all on BBC]
Sunday March 5, 2006
.
MAIN NOMINATIONS
Brokeback Mountain - 8
Crash - 6
Good Night, and Good Luck - 6
Memoirs of a Geisha - 6
Capote - 5
Munich - 5
Walk the Line - 5
Pride and Prejudice - 4
The Constant Gardener - 4
King Kong - 4
.

Meet the Oscar nominees
Find out everything you ever wanted to know about the key Oscar contenders, from actors and actresses to directors.
.
Full list of nominees
Dame Judi heads UK nominees
Hanks agrees Oscar role
Oscars on view in New York
Altman to receive honorary Oscar
Tom Cruise up for Razzie
.
Clooney raises the heat in Venice
Potter youngsters grow up
Weisz's breakthrough to acclaim
Brokeback rides into Venice
In pictures: Making the Oscars
.
Gromit film 'a force of Britishness'
Mangold's quest for truth
Actor Bana on Spielberg's Munich
Meirelles's political edge
Yeoh on Geisha 'hidden culture'

The Red Violin

The Red Violin
[official site] [IMDb] [more from google]
.

.
I first didn't expect much about this movie and thought that it might be some sad miserable kind. But I was wrong. This is one of the finest movie I've ever seen. The plot is great, storyline is very impressed, variety of tone, mystery, .... they're all great.
.
Only thing I may not like is the star, Samuel L Jackson, they use. He's not very convincing in this role, I'd rather prefer some no-name actor to play this part. But I like that little boy in the role of young talented violinist Kaspar. I love when he speaks French back to his mentor after 3-4 weeks together, this boy learned more than just musical skills. I also like the part in China where a woman try to keep the violin her mother gave her when she's young.
.
Thank you khun Som-O for the DVD. You really have a excellent taste of movie. :)

AO day 14 The Open comes to its end

Federer fights back to take title
Federer Masters Melbourne Again
A-Z of Australian Open 2006
.

Aussie Open photos
.

"I did focus for two sets but then there were moments that I started thinking too much. Maybe I was a bit scared of him and didn't really believe in it."
Marcos Baghdatis on why he lost in the men's final to Roger Federer.

Aussie Open quotes

AO day 13 End of the day

Women's final ends up early by surprise.
Justine Distraught by Retirement
Planets Finally Align for Mauresmo

.
I was in my room this morning, listening to the match via AO radio and IMing Kay at the same time. Somehow the commentators start decribing the situation, heard the silent of the crowd, and absent of Kay message. I ran to TV to see what happen out there with my two eyes. Terrible that the game has to ends this way. There must be something that is so serious, so hard, to pull the whole thing down after two weeks of play. Wish she's okay and bounce back very soon.
.
Men's double, the Bryans finally get the trophy.
Third Time the Charm for Bryans
.
FA cup
Cheltenham 0-2 Newcastle

"Good result, very poor performance"
Have your say on 606

AO day 11 End of the day

Brilliant Baghdatis Books Date With Destiny [more from AO] [match statistic here]
He comes from two set behind and win a 5-set epic with Nalbandian. This guy is great, he also beats Andy Roddick (2) and Ivan Ljubicic (7) in the prior rounds. Now he's set to play the final with either Federer or Keifer on Sunday.
.
Mauresmo Earns Another Chance [more on AO] [match statistic]
and also Henin-Hardenne over Sharapova [match statistic]
.
How about double? We have the Bryans ready in final for men's.
and women's we have Chinese pair vs Stosur/Raymond play in final tomorrow.

The most dangerous door on the Tube

Found this funny pic from http://london-underground.blogspot.com/ site

The most dangerous door on the Tube


^ By the way, do you notice its consistency among signs though they come in pretty much different shapes and colours. In this different, there're many common grounds shared; typeface, colour, spacing, layout. See? This is what we call identity.

4 hrs 48 mins

My beloved S.Grosjean play 4 hrs 48 mins epic against N.Keifer in quater final of Australian Open. Keifer get lead first on first set by 6-3. Then Grosjean take second set back 0-6. Third set belong to Keifer again, 6-4. Forth set they play til tie break and Grosjean get back to the game by 6-7 (1-7). Last set takes so long to complete, 96 mins - like another game for the other. I was watching point tracker & live scoreboard on website. The tension almost kill me bad. First Grosjean lead 0-2 but Keifer get his way back and both won't lose any serve game of theirs. Til they're both at 6-6, and Keifer serves to lead. He gets it. Then Grosjean serves to stay. It comes to 40-40 and Keifer gets what he's looking for. T_T My Grosjean is beaten off the Open.
.
I wish I had cable TV here. Keep moving forward, Grosjean. You're my favourite.
.
View match statistic here
^ Seeing statistic above, I wonder how come a guy will better stat in every point lose the game. Better 1st serve, lesser unforced error, better winnings, better points won, etc. Maybe because he lost on the important points, like in tie break or last set.

Google's Achilles Heel

Google's Achilles Heel
Wall Street loves it. Consumers are begging for more of it. Other companies want to be it. But Google has its vulnerabilities--excessive reliance on search advertising, lawsuits, eroding public trust, lack of focus and the competitive threat from Microsoft. How long can Google's run last?

By Alice LaPlante InformationWeek
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Does Google have an Achilles heel?

Based on recent events, you have to wonder. Its stock price reached $475 after two significant announcements--Google Video Store and Google Pack--at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month. Then, just 10 days later, Google announced the $102 million purchase of dMarc Broadcasting, which develops an online system for advertisers to buy radio airtime. Google said it plans to move its advertising juggernaut into radio.

How hot is Google?

- Google's market cap, now hovering at around $132 billion, is bigger than IBM and Chevron.

- Piper Jaffray analyst Safa Raschtchy said the stock would likely soar past $600 this year.

- Unlike high-flying Internet bubble companies of the 1990s, Google is profitable, with revenues growing an average 110% quarterly since it went public in August 2004.

- Google has a war chest of $7.6 billion for doing whatever it pleases.

- Google is one of the top 10 Web brands in the U.S., and the second-fastest-growing Web site, building traffic 29% in the past year, according to Nielsen/Net Ratings. Only Apple's Web site is more popular; Yahoo and MSN lag far behind.

- Google is king of search-related advertising, and search-related ads are the fastest-growing sector of the online ad business, which is growing at 41% annually, said Piper Jaffray.

- Google has almost twice as many search ad clickthroughs as runner-up Yahoo. In December, Google had 16.5 trillion ad clickthrough, compared with Yahoo's 9 trillion, according to Nielsen/NetRatings.

- Google earned $3.64 billion from U.S. online ad revenues in 2005, representing 69% of all paid search advertising, according to eMarketer.

Still, some prominent pundits are predicting a stumble for Google this year.

"Google is not invulnerable, and in general the risks are where most people aren't looking," said Scott Kessler, an equity analyst with Standard & Poor's, who bucked the tide last week by saying in a research note that Google's stock was overvalued, downgrading the stock from hold to sell. Google stock prices took a hit as a result.

[more at InformationWeek]
[more related on google]

Japan's Hardy Snow Country

Remember my previous post about Russian freeze? Today I have one of Japan to share.
(from http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=95861)
.
Japan's Hardy Snow Country Now Faces a Test of Time
January 9, 2006
Tsunan Journal
By NORIMITSU ONISHI

^ Children made their way along a street on Saturday in the city of Iiyama in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The coldest winter in decades has brought record snowfall to the area, known as Japan's snow country.


^ Workers from a construction company cleared roofs and streets on Saturday in Tsunan. In recent days, the town lay under 13 feet of snow.

TSUNAN, Japan, Jan. 7 - After clambering out a second-story window on Saturday, Kimie Kuwahara, 80, stood atop the 10-foot-high wall of snow surrounding her house. She surveyed this region called the snow country - the starkly white mountain range that spread out in the distance behind her, the record snowfall that had blanketed all but the triangle-shaped roofs in her neighborhood.

Pushing a plowlike shovel with both hands, Ms. Kuwahara was busy clearing the fresh powder to a recessed pile several feet away under which, she swore, lay a pond with carp. Her husband, Naoji, also 80, had climbed a ladder onto the roof, where he deftly plied his shovel to send chunks tumbling down.

"It's a never-ending job!" said Ms. Kuwahara, who had left a "village on the other side of the mountain" to come to this town as a bride a half-century ago. "After you've cleared the snow, the place is covered with snow again two days later."

Smiling from ear to ear, Ms. Kuwahara, who maintained that snow-clearing had kept her the "fittest person in the neighborhood," said cheerfully: "Ah! The snow country! What can you do?"

The snow country, ensconced between the Sea of Japan and the Japanese Alps, is one of the world's snowiest regions and typically lies under a dozen feet of snow for several months a year. But the coldest winter in decades has brought record snowfalls to the region in recent weeks.

The snow has buried cars and houses and trifled with Japan's famed bullet trains. It has flanked plowed streets with 10-foot-high walls of snow and transformed towns into white labyrinths inside which human beings scurry as if they were mice.

One of the hardest-hit areas, the town of Tsunan here in Niigata Prefecture, lay under nearly 13 feet of snow in recent days. Old-timers say it is the heaviest snowfall since 1945, a year remembered here as much as for its 23 feet of snow as for the end of World War II.

To Seiji Kuwabara, 69, a neighbor of the Kuwaharas', life here in the snow country means "to endure." Yet this winter's snow has revealed both the region's hardiness and fragility. In a region depleted of young people, like other rural areas in a rapidly graying country, septuagenarians and octogenarians have been toiling to save their roofs from collapsing and their homes from being entombed - the husbands typically going up on the roof, with the wives staying below.

Nearly 70 people nationwide, most of them older, have succumbed to the winter. In this town, where a third of the population is over age 65, an 81-year-old man clearing snow died after falling into a river; another man, in his late 70's, was buried by snow that fell off a roof.

Snowbound and enveloped in dim light for months, the snow country is part of the less developed "backside of Japan," as it is called, in contrast to its "front side," which faces the Pacific. Yasunari Kawabata, in his novel "Snow Country," chose this region's gloomy atmosphere as the setting for a doomed love affair at a hot spring in Yuzawa, not far from here.

Until the advent of regular snow removal in the 1960's, roads became impassable to cars, and walking to Tokamachi, less than 10 miles away, took five hours. The snow was piled so high that people were forced to climb out of their homes. Shigeno Tamura, the owner of the Takaraya pork-cutlet restaurant, most vividly remembered seeing the boots of pedestrians at the top of her house's ground-floor windows.

Still, not all the memories are of hardship.

"When we were young, we played by playing jump-rope over power lines," recalled Fumi Kazamaki, 66, who was shoveling the snow in front of her house as her husband, Michio, 65, labored, naturally, on the roof.

"We lived by using the positive aspects of snow," she said, adding that the snow bound the community together. Children nowadays stay indoors when it snows to play video games, she said, but in the past they made igloos. "I remember the light of the candle inside the igloo. It was like a fairy tale."

"We lived in the snow itself in those days," she added. "Now we live by conquering the snow."

The snow country, or this corner of it at least, began conquering the snow in the late 1960's. Sprinklers were installed in the middle of streets, the first one here in 1972; electrical pumps nowadays send mild underground water to melt the snow all over Tsunan. Some streets, especially those near the train station, are heated. Snowplows clear the roads for the town's 12,000 residents, thanks to the $1 million the town spends on snow removal from its annual $50 million budget.

"These days we can walk outside in ordinary shoes," said Takaaki Takahashi, who was leading the snow removal efforts for the town office.

Around the same time the battle against the snow began, Kakuei Tanaka, one of postwar Japan's most powerful prime ministers and a native of this region, brought highways and other huge public works projects here. Thanks to Mr. Tanaka, who was later forced from office because of the bribery scandal involving the Lockheed Corporation, even the bullet train reached this neglected region.

"People in the cities, in the front side of Japan, remember Tanaka for his corruption," said Fumio Kazamaki, 53, the owner of the Tomitaya Inn here. "But we here in the backside of Japan remember him for changing our everyday lives."

The lives were perhaps not that different any more from those on the other side of Japan, though this winter's snow was a reminder that snow could not be conquered completely.

Harunobu Shiga, 74, was standing outside his house, waiting impatiently for the weekly Tsunan Newspaper. The delivery man came every Friday around 4 p.m., but it was already nearing 5 p.m.

"Maybe he's lost because of the snow," Mr. Shiga said, a worried look on his face.

He looked with appreciation at the snow bank next to his house, built some eight decades ago when his mother, now 103, came here as a bride. Because the snow had piled up so quickly, he said, the bank did not contain the usual layers of crusted snow.

"I wonder if this will melt by April or remain until May," Mr. Shiga said.

He preferred to look on the good side. It was thanks to the snow, he said, that the region had pure water to produce the country's best sakes and rice, Uonuma Koshihikari, of which a 22-pound bag sells for about $61.

"Maybe I shouldn't say this because of the people who are suffering right now," Mr. Shiga said, "but the snow is our treasure."

4 British Spies Uncovered

FSB: 4 British Spies Uncovered



The 'British' spy operation found lurking under a rock
FSB: 4 British Spies Uncovered
British agents caught red-handed by Russia
Row over rock reveals Putin's real agenda
British spies caught 'red-handed' with rock: Russia
Russia accuses Britain of spying
Old spying lives on in new ways
More from google
.
World of spy and intelligent unit still in mystery to the world. It may or may not like shown on TV or big screen. I wonder how this story will end.

Pope's guard

Interesting article:
Pope's guards celebrate 500 years [on BBC]

See also,
In pictures: Swiss guards sworn in
First non-white joins Vatican guard

AO day 9 End of the day

Today's AO result

Men's Singles - Grosjean wins to next round, while Federer struggling 5-set match with Tommy Haas. So as Dvydenko to Hrbaty. Next round Grosjean will meet Keifer and Federer vs Davydenko.
Women's Singles - Hingis beats Stosur. Experience and heart really help. Next round Schnyder will play Mauresmo, while Hingis plays with Clijster.

4

4 Jobs You Have Had in Your Life:
1. Drawing tutor
2. Designer
3. Project coordinator
4. Project manager

4 Movies You Could Watch Over & Over:
1. Serendipity
2. Friends
3. Be with you
4. Fight Club
and many more ^^

4 Places You Have Lived:
1. Bangkok, TH
2. Leicester, UK
3. California, USA
4. New York, USA
I wish for a couple more :P hehehe

4 TV Shows You Love to Watch:
1. Friends
2. One Tree Hill
3. House
4. Everwood

4 Places You Have Been on Vacation:
1. Japan
2. Korea
3. Taiwan
4. Costa Rica

4 of Your favorite Foods:
1. Carbonara
2. Milk chocolate
3. Som-tum Thai
4. Pork leg w/ rice at Trok Soong

4 Bloggers I Am Tagging:
Normally none. :P

Forget Cheaper Oil in 2006?

Only a month ago chances seemed good that 2006 would break the streak of five consecutive years of rising oil prices. But not anymore. Less than three weeks into the new year, the prospect that the average price per barrel for light, sweet U.S. crude in 2006 would fall below last year's nearly $57 per barrel look considerably diminished.

continue at Forget Cheaper Oil in 2006?

Russian freeze

Russian freeze on BBC

Thames Whale

Thames Whale

The 18ft whale that transfixed London
... and the whale died 1900 GMT.
.
I wonder if this lost of direction has something to do with any global changes, like seen on the movie 'The Core'.

AO day 7 result

Today's AO 4th round result
Men's Singles
Women's Singles
.
All women's top seeded went through easily with two sets straight win all. But men's are quite different, two top seeded - A.Rod and D.Ferrer fail to get through next round, beaten by Marcos Baghdatis CYP and Fabrice Santoro FRA respectively.
.
NUFC lost 1-0 home to Blackburn. Souness is so fired.

Whale in the Thames

BEACHED WHALE [from BBC]


KEY STORIES
Teams mount whale rescue
Crowds gather to catch glimpse
Whale spotted in central London
Rescuers ready for Thames whale
Stranded whale moved on to barge

IN PICTURES
Helping the whale Marine experts begin bid to rescue the whale stranded in the River Thames
Whale in the Thames
Whale in pictures
Crowds flock to riverbank

FEATURES
Why so long to save the whale?

AO day 4 End of the day

I'm getting too lazy to type, so here's the link...
Men's Singles
Women's Singles

and one interesting story
Different Paths to the Same Point

Collective nouns

Collective nouns
[copy from Quiz your brain]

How good are you with collective nouns? Each of the following might have more than one collective noun. Try out the following for the most usually used collective noun.

1. A ________ of robbers
2. A ________ of elephants
3. A ________ of geese
4. A ________ of ships
5. A ________ of puppies
6. A ________ of thieves
7. A ________ of wolves
8. A ________ of arrows
9. A ________ of owls
10. A ________ of bees

.
.
.

1. Gang
2. Herd
3. Flock
4. Fleet
5. Litter
6. Pack, Den
7. Pack
8. Quiver
9. Parliament
10. Swarm

.
You don't wanna know how many point I got from this. T_T~ So shame.

AO day 4 update #2

13:36 GMT+7
Sebastien Grosjean FRA (25) beats Juan Monaco ARG with easy 3 straigth sets 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. Hoorayyyyyy.
.

Also Japanese player Aiko Nakamura has reached the third round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time with a devastating demolition of No.31 seed Gisela Dulko [read more from AO site on Nakamura Stands Strong]

AO day 4 update

Roger Federer SUI (1) easy cruises to the next round beating Florian Mayer GER 6-1, 6-4, 6-0. So as Guillermo Coria ARG (6), Nikolay Davydenko RUS (5), and Igor Andreev RUS (23).
.
Samantha Stosur AUS, Michaella Krajicek NED (over Sania Mirza IND (32)), Aiko Nakamura JPN (over Gisela Dulko ARG (31)), Maria Sanchez Lorenzo ESP (over Anna-Lena Groenefeld GER (22)), Flavia Pennetta ITA (20), Sybille Bammer AUT, Nicole Vaidisova CZE (16) all get through.
.

^ Samantha Stosur (Australia)

Owen denies problem at Newcastle

Owen denies problem at Newcastle [on BBC]

Reading above news and I really like many of his lines;

"It was a fantastic reception I had here and I have loved every minute of it already.

"You always want to repay the fans for the support they have given you in producing good performances on the pitch. When I am fit I am sure I will do that.

"I enjoyed my time at Real Madrid, but there is nothing like coming into a dressing room where you understand all the jokes and everything else."

"As much as it still seems a few weeks away, I am looking forward to it already. I can see light at the end of the tunnel
.
.
.
I'm hoping that my April dream won't ruined. So I can catch them both. :)

AO day 3 End of the day

David Nalbandian ARG (4), Thomas Johansson SWE (10) get through to 3rd round. So as Justine Henin-Hardenne BEL (8), Maria Sharapova RUS (4), Lindsay Davenport USA (1).


^ Mario Ancic
.
.
.
Browsing through one forum and found a topic about professional fee of architectural services here in Thailand. Many agree that fee is little too low. Some even say that this fee is only cover the drawing but not the design & creativity. Thinking about it carefully I quite a little agree about it. Normally of 7% should only be the design fee and the rest like drawing, documentation, site visit, supervision, consultant, etc should be calculated separately - like many other countries. But bottom line is Thai people still have no understanding and see it as unnecessary thing to pay. This believe could takes decades to change, I think.

AO day 3 update

15:15 GMT+7
.
Well, quick Men's result for this slow non-exciting day (of mine) ...
Ivan Ljubicic CRO (7), Andy Roddick USA (2), Mario Ancic CRO (18), James Blake USA (20), Gaston Gaudio ARG (8), Feliciano Lopez ESP (31), David Ferrer ESP (11), Jarkko Nieminen FIN (26) are seeded players who get into next round. Plus Julien Benneteau FRA and Fabrice Santoro FRA.

While the following seeded failed ...
Tomas Berdych CZE (19) beaten by Gilles Simon FRA, Robby Ginepri USA (13) by Denis Gremelmayr GER, and Radek Stepanek CZE (17) by Marcos Baghdatis CYP
.
Okay, how about Women's ...
Serena Williams USA (13), Daniela Hantuchova SVK (17), Nadia Petrova RUS (6), Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS (14), Maria Kirilenko RUS (25), Laura Granville USA, Jelena Kostanic CRO, Elena Vesnina RUS, Maria Elena Camerin ITA, Mara Santangelo ITA, and Virginie Razzano FRA get into next round

While the following seeded failed ...
Elena Likhovtseva RUS (18) beaten by Virginia Ruano Pascual ESP, Jelena Jankovic SCG (23) by Olga Savchuk UKR

AO day 2 End of the day

Wahahaha ... Sebastien Grosjean FRA (25) gets himself into 2nd round by beating Mark Philippoussis AUS 3 sets to all 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. Good job. Next round he will be with Juan Monaco ARG.
.
Tomorrow key play will be as follow...
At Rod Laver Arena starts 7:30 pm;
Maria Sharapova (RUS)[4] vs. Ashley Harkleroad (USA)
Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) vs. David Nalbandian (ARG)[4]
At Vodafone Arena starts 11:00 am;
Lindsay Davenport (USA)[1] vs. Karolina Sprem (CRO)
Mario Ancic (CRO)[18] vs. Jan Hernych (CZE)
Camille Pin (FRA) vs. Serena Williams (USA)[13]
At MCA starts 11:00 am;
Robby Ginepri (USA)[13] vs. Denis Gremelmayr (GER)
Xavier Malisse (BEL) vs. Thomas Johansson (SWE)[10]
At court 6 starts 11:00 am;
Daniele Bracciali (ITA) vs. David Ferrer (ESP)[11]

AO day 2 update #2

16:39 pm GMT +7
Not seen any surprise, yet, on day 2 of AO in women's single. Only unseeded Zi Yan CHN wins over Nathalie Dechy FRA (11) 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-3.

^ Zi Yan [from WTAtour.com]
.
For men's single is almost another story. Many seeded players struggling through 5-set play including Dominik Hrbaty SVK (12) over Oliver Marach AUT, Nicolas Kiefer GER (21) over Paradorn Srichaphan THA (Keifer came back from two sets down to win. Another Thai's gone), Nikolay Davydenko RUS (5) over Ivo Karlovic CRO , Guillermo Coria ARG (6) over Victor Hanescu ROM, and Lleyton Hewitt AUS (3) over Robin Vik CZE.
.
.
.
.
Have you ever heard about Eighty South Street project? My friend just passed me the URL. It's in Manhattan, and Wow! amazing. My very first question is 'Is this real?' But when I know that my favourite architect designs this, I ran out of doubt. Santiago Calatrava is like god of architecture for me. He can combines beauty with possibility. Almost every project he does are talk of the town, get the cover, and cover and cover and again and again.

Analyzing common dream world symbols

Analyzing common dream world symbols [from Ueyrj KeElbbbm blog]

Dreams represent a fascinating alternate reality, and dream analysis is a fascinating subject for professionals and lay people alike. Many people feel that if they could just understand and take control of their dreams, all their real world problems would be solved.

While this position may be a bit of a stretch, it is true that many issues in dreams have their roots in the waking world, and when these daytime issues are solved, so to are the dreams they sparked.

When studying the fascinating and sometimes confusing world of dreams, it is a good idea to look at the symbols many other people have found in common dream objects.

Accident A dream accident could represent fear of an actual accident, or it could represent fear of some sort of mental or physical breakdown.

Awakening Dreaming about waking up can symbolize a realization of, or openness to, new ideas and new experiences.

Brother Dreaming about a brother has different meanings depending on the relationship of the dreamer to his or her actual brother. If there is a strained relationship, a dream about a brother can represent an inner core of love and respect for the sibling.

Climbing Dreams of climbing can be symbols for yearning or reaching, or for the attaining of new mental, spiritual or physical goals.

Desert Dreaming of a desert, or of being lost in a desert, can represent loneliness and longing.

Door A door can be a symbol for the possibility of a better opportunity. Being afraid to open a door in a dream can mean you are afraid to try new things.

Eating Eating in a dream can represent nourishment, or the need to be taken care of.

Falling Dreams of falling can represent a loss of control, or a feeling of being unable to maintain your position in life.

Gate A gate in a dream is similar to a door, in that it represents an opportunity for movement and growth. Going through the gate can be a sign that you are ready to try new things.

Heart The heart is seen as a symbol of love. Most dreams which include heart shapes center on love and romance.

Immobility Dreams of being paralyzed or immobilized can be indications that the dreamer feels trapped. For instance, you may feel trapped or smothered in a relationship, or you may feel like you are unable to get ahead at your job.

Jumping Dreaming about jumping can symbolize that the dreamer is open to achieving greater goals. Jumping is usually a positive symbol, and it can mean that the dreamer faces a bright future.

Ladder A ladder can be a symbol for growth, or for spiritual learning. A ladder can symbolize a desire to reach higher, or to achieve greater happiness.

Military Dreams about military figures often symbolize a desire for authority. Dreams about the military often represent a craving for the bravery engendered by the armed forces.

Noose Dreaming about a noose can symbolize a guilt and a fear of punishment. Seeing a noose in your dreams may mean you are afraid of something in your waking life.

Pig The meaning of the pig symbol depends on your cultural frame of reference. While to most westerners a pig symbolizes greed and filth, to the Chinese a pig is a symbol of strength.

Rain Rain also has a number of meanings in the dream world. In some scenarios, rain can symbolize depression, while at other times it can represent a cleansing and a renewal. The meaning will depend on the context of rain within the dream.
.
.
.
I wonder if this analysis works with non-Westerner.

AO day 2 update

9:29 am GMT +7
Roger Federer SUI (1) on to the second round with ease over Denis Istomin UZB 6-2, 6-3, 6-2

[from BBC] Federer begins campaign in style

AO day 1 End of the day

1st day of Australian Open finished. With more seeded's early exit besides those whom mentioned earlier.

Taylor Dent USA (27) lost 6-7 (4-7), 3-6, 6-7 (4-7) to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez ESP

Andrei Pavel ROM beat Carlos Moya ESP (32) 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 3-6, 6-3

Also Henman crashes out in first round by Dmitry Tursunov RUS 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 5-7


^ Danai Udomchoke (THA) almost a giant killer [image from AO website]
.
Okay, that's all of today. Lets see what tomorrow will bring....
On Rod Laver Arena starts 11:00 am;
Roger Federer (SUI)[1] vs. Denis Istomin (UZB)
- I'm not sure if this'd be an easy win. Federer seems to love struggling with unseed, lets see how it turns out.
Tiantian Sun (CHN) vs. Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)[3]
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)[3] vs. Robin Vik (CZE)
Then at 7:30 pm;
Martina Hingis (SUI) vs. Vera Zvonareva (RUS)[30]
and my favourite
Sebastien Grosjean (FRA)[25] vs. Mark Philippoussis (AUS)
- This would be tough.
Other high light plays are...
Vodafone Arena starts 11:00 am;
Mary Pierce (FRA)[5] vs. Nicole Pratt (AUS)
Yoon Jeong Cho (KOR) vs. Kim Clijsters (BEL)[2]
MCA starts 11:00 am;
Victor Hanescu (ROM) vs. Guillermo Coria (ARG)[6]
Tomas Zib (CZE) vs. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)[15]
Show court 3;
Nicolas Kiefer (GER)[21] vs. Paradorn Srichaphan (THA)
- See if Thai can go further
Court 11;
Jamea Jackson (USA) vs. Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA)
Court 19;
Dominik Hrbaty (SVK)[12] vs. Oliver Marach (AUT)
.
It'd be fun tomorrow.

AO day 1 update #2

13:40 GMT +7
OMG! Do you believe that Venus Williams USA (10) is off the Open, losing 6-2, 0-6, 7-9 to unseed Tszvetana Pironkova BUL

.
And Thai unseeded, Danai Udomchoke plays 5 set against David Nalbandian ARG (4) before losing it 2-6, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4), 1-6. He did have a come back but for some reason the fifth set just easily dropped. Strength & stamina, I may guess.

AO day 1 update

9:42 am GMT+7
Some of surprise happened in Australian Open 1st round;
Elena Dementieva RUS (9) 5-7, 2-6 Julia Schruff GER
A.Sugiyama (26) 4-6, 3-6 C.Martinez Granados
and now Udomchoke is two sets down to Nalbandian 2-6, 2-6.
Lets see if he can come back on third set.
.
NUFC
Anelka keen on move to Newcastle
.
Funny blog The Dormitory Boys,
two chineses lads doing lip sync. Funny :)
Though like one of the Korean gals did, so great laugh too.
.
Online Wedding becomes real!
Lovers wed on the Internet
Where do they file the document? Server?
Do we have to sign the paper or just type?

Inside Thailand

Two major headlines;
1) Briton girl's killers on Samui island, the update [more]
2) Protest at PM office on Friday night and Saturday [more]
.
Either are not a good side of this country.
Thailand is one of the paradise on earth, and also one of the hell too.
Thailand has perfect King, and always stupid and corrupted government.
... just like any other things in this world, there're two sides in every story.
It's just the way you see it.

4 books

Today's quote:

Giving birth is little more than a set of muscular contractions granting passage
of a child. Then the mother is born.
-- Erma Bombeck

.
Bought 4 books today, from Asia Books.
They are 'Secrets of people whisperer',

'Art of Civilized Conversation',

'QBQ! The question behind the question',

and 'Definitive book of body language'

Total of THB 2,190.
.
When do you think I can finish these newly bought??
.
I haven't finished 'The Art of War' yet. :P

Bad day

Guess who'll play against Nalbandian at Rod Laver Arena on 1st round Men's single? I just saw the schedule today, it's Danai Udomchoke (THA) vs. David Nalbandian (ARG)[4]. Holy h*ll, no offense but for Udomchoke I'd consider he's lucky to play with high seeded player once in a life time OR he maybe considered so unlucky to meet Nalbandian at this round, almost like a dead end.
vs
.
.
.
Last night I downloaded Daniel Powter's Bad day MV. I first saw it months ago when it was released. The idea of subway picture conversation is great and very lovely. But what if there's a stranger comes and interferes? :P

Long lost friends in Hi5

Today is Thai national children's day and I went to Vimanmek mansion, Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall, Suan Bua Residential Hall, and...

Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall [link 1] [link 2]
.
Some of tonight's football results:

Sheff Wed 2-1 Leicester
Man City 3-1 Man Utd
Fulham 1-0 Newcastle
Arsenal 7-0 Middlesbrough
.
A quick glance through my hi5 network, I found her - Ket. Though she uses another name in hi5, but her smile is unforgettable. Don't you think?

.
Another I found is Tukta. Many long lost friends really can be found in hi5. Amazing, I finally see the good side of it. :D hahahaha

Australian Open is coming

Australian Open is drawing near, 16-29 Jan. Men's and women's single draws have been listed out. I may not be able to watch match play during working hour, like last year. But could even worse without headphone in the office, I have no chance to hear live game. Only channel I may have is only live scoreboard from AO site. -_-" Can't wait to see the play.
.
I'm thinking a little more seriously about going to St. James's park during this Thai new year holiday. But is that possible? Yeah it is. I just need more money and, fortunately enough, more holiday too. :P I'd love to see Shearer on the pitch myself. This is his last season, a hero without medal.