Bodyguards And Assassins

Bodyguards and Assassins(Mandarin Title "Shi Yue Wei Cheng") is a great movie, living up to the dollars you paid and all the celebrities in it.However, the soul of this movie is marred by many awkward moments.

At the level of film-making, it's very authenticated with all the technique. Every character feels like weighted right and with the right tone. That's half because of very skillful make-ups while half because of performances. Also, if you try just a little to follow the director's cue, it wouldn't be hard to get all the details understood with a lot of good surprises. There are several parallel montage sequences paralleling the nobodies with somebodies, dreams with realities, successes with their prices that felt so heavy yet so moving. The illustration of historical brutalities and each person's emotional undertone is also very compelling to watch. All in all, this is indeed a worthwhile experience.

However, please also look beyond the many awkward moments to enjoy it. The awkwardness essentially come from the dogmatic lines directly copied from Chinese official history/politics textbooks. For instance, the part where the businessman Li's only son was selected to be Sun Wen's replacement, he argued that he should bear the results of drawing lots equally with others because "they are supposed to object to the feudal code of ethics". This rigid insertion of "main theme" comment made me very uncomfortable. For the record, there are several similar situations which made me reflect on all the "revolution epics" I've seen. Particularly, "Bodyguards and Assassins" is gonna give you the impression that Sun Wen the "father of Chinese revolution" deserves a good punch in the face because all he did in the movie was to be there as the "only hope" of Chinese future doing stuffs he could have remotely done, if this is the first time you know about Sun Wen's story. For Western audiences, it's important to know the reality with contemporary Chinese mindset. That's nationalism mixed with collectivism is non-arguably the absolute ethic standard, which would justify all the phony lines the actors awkwardly uttered along with all the tragic deaths of heroes. In this predominant context, Sun Wen's image had long been modified in public's mind to fit the "absolute revolutionary symbol" like this movie's demonstration, which is much weaker than its real historic model. Fortunately the storytelling is smoothed out with more than one motivation from Sun Wen' bodyguards. Most of them didn't even know what it means by "revolution", which helped creating the tear-jerking moments.

There are also many regretfully missing notes which would have greatly rewarded the audiences. Nicholas Tse's Ah Si is one of them. This is definitely a very touching, potentially inspiring character in the story. But at the end he was just another used bullet in the revolution. He along with his handicapped wife could have survived the event and live on to see what future brought. But, the movie's ending was fixed on the revolutionary mentor's grievous face, when he just have killed his bad student who murdered his good student in the struggle. Anyway, officially this movie should make you "taste today's sweetness compared to old days' bitterness"(In mandarin we say "Yi Ku Si Tian"). If you don't feel this way, you might just point out the movie's hollowness. At last, this movie deserves its commercial/critic success because of the superb film-making, but it doesn't cover the smell of a propaganda.

All About Basketball

Basketball was invented in December 1891 by the Canadian clergyman, educator, and physician James Naismith. Naismith introduced the game when we was an instructor at the Young Men's Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts. At the request of his superior, Dr. Luther H. Gulick, he organized a vigorous recreation suitable for indoor winter play. The game involved elements of American football, soccer, and hockey, and the first ball used was a soccer ball. Teams had nine players, and the goals were wooden peach baskets affixed to the walls. By 1897-1898, teams of five became standard. The game rapidly spread nationwide and to Canada and other parts of the world, played by both women and men; it also became a popular informal outdoor game. U.S. servicemen in World War II (1939-1945) popularized the sport in many other countries.

A number of U.S. colleges adopted the game between about 1893 and 1895. In 1934 the first college games were staged in New York City's Madison Square Garden, and college basketball began to attract heightened interest. By the 1950s basketball had become a major college sport, thus paving the way for a growth of interest in professional basketball.

The first pro league, the National Basketball League, was formed in 1898 to protect players from exploitation and to promote a less rough game. This league only lasted five years before disbanding; its demise spawned a number of loosely organized leagues throughout the northeastern United States. One of the first and greatest pro teams was the Original Celtics, organized about 1915 in New York City. They played as many as 150 games a season and dominated basketball until 1936. The Harlem Globetrotters, founded in 1927, a notable exhibition team, specializes in amusing court antics and expert ball handling.

In 1949 two subsequent professional leagues, the National Basketball League (formed in 1937) and the Basketball Association of America (1946) merged to create the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Boston Celtics, led by their center Bill Russell, dominated the NBA from the late 1950s through the 1960s. By the 1960s, pro teams from coast to coast played before crowds of many millions annually. Wilt Chamberlain, a center for the Los Angeles Lakers, was another leading player during the era, and his battles with Russell were eagerly anticipated. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, also a center, came to prominence during the 1970s. Jabbar perfected his famed "sky hook" shot while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and dominated the opposition.

The NBA suffered a drop in popularity during the late 1970s, but was resuscitated, principally through the growing popularity of its most prominent players. Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics, and Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers are credited with injecting excitement into the league in the 1980s through their superior skills and decade-long rivalry. During the late 1980s Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls rose to stardom and helped the Bulls dominate the NBA during the early 1990s. A new generation of basketball stars, including Shaquille O'Neal of the Orlando Magic and Larry Johnson of the Charlotte Hornets, have sustained the NBA's growth in popularity.

In 1959 a Basketball Hall of Fame was founded in Springfield, Massachusetts. Its rosters include the names of great players, coaches, referees, and people who have contributed significantly to the development of the game.

TIMELINE AND THE HISTORY OF ~ADIDAS~

1949

The foundation
18 August - adidas is registered as a company, named after its founder: 'Adi' from Adolf and 'Das' from Dassler.

50s

The 'Miracle of Bern'
1954 - The 'Miracle of Bern' Germany battle Hungary with a competitive advantage. They are wearing adidas soccer boots which for the first time feature removable studs.

60s

Higher
Driven by a desire to help all athletes committed to performance, adidas manufactures equipment for what some consider "fringe sports". Unconventional high jumper Dick Fosbury launches himself up and over in adidas footwear.

70s

The "adidas" team wins
Crowning moment: Franz Beckenbauer, the "Kaiser", raising the World Cup in victory salute. Germany had just beaten Holland 2-1 in the 1974 final.

80s

The transition
After Adi Dassler's death, Adi's wife Käthe, his son Horst, and his daughters carry on the business.

90s

With a new management
Under the CEO Robert Louis-Dreyfus, adidas is moving from being a manufacturing and sales based company to a marketing company.

1995

Adidas goes public
Flotation of the company on the Frankfurt and Paris Stock Exchange.

1996

A splendid year
The "three-stripes company" equips 6,000 Olympic athletes from 33 countries. adidas athletes win 220 medals, including 70 gold. Apparel sales increase 50%.

1997

Adidas-Salomon AG
Adidas AG acquires the Salomon Group with the brands Salomon, TaylorMade, Mavic and Bonfire in December 1997. The new company is named adidas-Salomon AG.

1999

The new brands
The integration of the new brands is gaining momentum. The new TaylorMade FireSole clubs boost sales. Salomon in-line skates take off with high double-digit growth during the first half of 1999.

2000

New management
Following personnel changes, the new management initiates an ambitious Growth and Efficiency Program. Major sports events such as the European Soccer Championship EURO 2000™ and the Olympic Summer Games, where swimmer Ian Thorpe takes three gold medals, contribute to the company’s success.

2005

Sale of Salomon
The Salomon Group (including Salomon, Mavic, Bonfire, Cliché and Arc’Teryx) is being sold to Amer Sports in October 2005. The new adidas Group is focusing even more on its core strength in the athletic footwear and apparel market as well as the growing golf category. The legal name of the company will change to “adidas AG” in May/June 2006.

2006

Adidas-Salomon AG acquires Reebok
The closing of the Reebok transaction on January 31, 2006 marks a new chapter in the history of the adidas Group. By combining two of the most respected and well-known brands in the worldwide sporting goods industry, the new Group will benefit from a more competitive worldwide platform, well-defined and complementary brand identities, a wider range of products, and a stronger presence across teams, athletes, events and leagues.

~NIKE~

Ever heard of Nike? Who hasn't?

You might be surprised to know that one of the world's dominant shoe, sports equipment and clothing brands was aptly named after the Greek goddess of victory -- and that the inspiration for the name struck during a dream.

It began in 1964 with a casual agreement and a handshake between University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight, a middle-distance runner. The pair formed Blue Ribbon Sports and began importing Japanese brand Onitsuka Tiger running shoes, known today as ASICs, for sale in the U.S.

In 1967, Knight and Bowerman made the handshake deal formal and incorporated as BRS Inc. Jeff Johnson signed on in 1965 as the company's first full-time salesperson and opened Blue Ribbon Sports' first retail outlet the following year. In 1971, Johnson made an incalculable contribution to the company: One night, he dreamed of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, and suggested the name to his bosses. The company used the moniker for its first footwear product to feature the "Swoosh" mark -- a soccer cleat called the Nike, whose name beat out Knight's suggestion that they call it the Dimension 6.

The Swoosh trademark was created by a graphic-design student from Portland State University named Carolyn Davidson. She got $35 for her creation.
Expanding the Nike Brand
Looking to expand the line, Bowerman began experimenting with the concept of athletic shoes with rubber spikes. By pouring a liquid rubber compound into his wife's waffle iron, Bowerman created an innovative running-shoe sole. The company unveiled Nike "Moon Shoes" featuring the Waffle sole for athletes competing at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., in 1972. A succession of shoes, many based on the waffle outsole, followed. Some of the most famous are the Waffle Racer, Air Force One and Air Max 97.

When tees featuring a lower-case "nike" script logo designed by Davidson hit stores that year, folks unfamiliar with the name asked, "Who's Mike?" when they spotted the shirts.
Elite Sponsors: Athletes in Nike Shoes
A growing number of elite athletes competed in Nike footwear. Runner Mark Covert was the first athlete to wear Nike shoes across a finish line. Nike shoes got their first endorsement by a professional athlete when Romanian tennis personality Ilie Nastase signed on to wear Nikes on the court.

In 1977, former aerospace engineer Frank Rudy teamed with Nike to create the first Air-Sole units -- durable bags filled with pressurized gas that compressed under impact, then sprang back. The result was Nike Air cushioning, which hit stores in 1979.

In 1980, Nike went public.

The year 1984 saw the signing of basketball megastar Michael Jordan to an endorsement contract, followed by the 1985 release of his signature shoe, the Air Jordan. Originally, the NBA banned this new shoe because it didn't match the league's dress code, but the ban simply served to give the design a higher profile and extensive publicity.

Nike revenues topped $1 billion for the first time in 1986. The rest, as they say, is history.
Superstar Follow-Up
Nike followed up on its footwear fame by dressing athletes from head to toe, introducing apparel collections for tennis and basketball, which were popularized respectively by superstars John McEnroe and Michael Jordan. In 1988, Nike's "Just Do It" slogan was introduced, and it remains one of the most recognizable and successful commercial taglines. In 1990, the first NikeTown store opened in Portland, Ore. The company signed golfing phenom Tiger Woods in 1996.

In 1999, Bill Bowerman, Nike's co-founder, died at age 88. The company bought bankrupt rival Converse for $305 million in 2003. In 2004, Phil Knight stepped down as CEO and president of Nike, but he continues as chairman. Headquartered in Beaverton, Ore., Nike remains one of the largest and most successful companies operating today.

Api-Api Bandarmaju Management Services

"Api-Api Banddarmaju Management Services",the following company is established by my dad,Mr Wong Kim Phen in several years ago. What i heard from him, he to began do business when he was in the aged 18. Now,he is already 63 years old. For me,he is a successfully businessman. At first, he did many types of business, like manage a restaurant, being a "tukang masak"which mean cooker or chef for his own restaurant, he even copartnership with my uncle manage those karaoke, disco, pub and lounge.Until now, he had retired,and pass the business to my brother. Luckily he did well for my dad's last business,which is Api-Api Bandarmaju Management Services,a place where renting houses and rooms, which located at Api-Api Centre,block 3,G 19.Everyday after my class,i will helping my brother to take charge of the office,until night time around 8pm.I am here to introduce the types of rooms and the units of apartment we are renting and their rates.Usually the prices for daily is around RM40 until RM200++. Others than daily, we also rented for monthly. Assuredly, the price will be cost more than daily. It is around RM500 until RM2000++,depends on the rooms' types and apartment.Of course, the payment of current and water are all include in the rental.Actually the reason why i post this article is to advertise my father's business in the others way,i hope he will appreciate it.

Communication Skills 2 Final Draft

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka! Good morning to all my fellow friends and my beloved lecturer, Miss Freda. Today, I would like to present a speech about the Father of Modernization in our country. I bet not all of you have heard his name before, especially our Philippino friends, even our local students also maybe no idea with this person. Our Father of Modernization, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad. Mahathir was born in July 10, 1925, at Alor Setar, Kedah,the youngest of nine children of a schoolteacher and a housewife. His father, Mohamad Iskandar, was of Indian origin, being the son of a Malayalee Muslim (who migrated from Kerala, South India) and a Malay mother, while Mahathir's own mother, Wan Tampawan. He is a retired Malaysian political figure. He was the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysia's longest-serving Prime Minister, and one of the longest-serving leaders in Asia. During his term in office, he was credited for engineering Malaysia's rapid modernisation.
During World War II, he sold pisang goreng (banana fritters) and other snacks to supplement his family income during the Japanese occupation of Malaya. Mahathir attended a Malay vernacular school before continuing his education at the Sultan Abdul Hamid College in Alor Star. Mahathir then attended the King Edward VII Medical College in Singapore, where he edited a medical student magazine called The Cauldron; he also contributed to the The Straits Times newspaper under the nickname "Che Det". Mahathir was also President of the Muslim Society in the college. Upon graduation in 1953, Mahathir joined the Malayan government service as a medical officer. He married Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali—a fellow doctor and former classmate in college—on 5 August 1956, and left government service in 1957.
Mahathir became the Prime Minister of Malaysia on 16 July 1981 when Tun Hussein Onn stepped down due to health reasons. He was the nation's first Prime Minister that came from a modest social background, whereas the first three prime ministers were members of the royal or elite families.
After 22 years in office, Mahathir retired on 31 October 2003, making him one of Asia's longest-serving political leaders. Upon his retirement on 31 October 2003, Mahathir was awarded a "Tun"-ship, Malaysia's highest civilian honour.
The reason why I choosing this topic and share with everyone of you is because, I think as a Malaysian, we should know every political figure, their achievement, and how our country achieve by everyone of them. Hope all of you will appreciate their achievement and remember those who put effort to our country. Thank you.

Communication Skills 2 Outline

General Purpose-
Informative Speaking

Specific Purpose-
Informative Speaking (Dato' Seri Dr.Mahathir)

Introduction(Mahathir's Early Life)-
Tun Mahathir bin Mohamad,born July 10, 1925) is a retired Malaysian political figure. He was the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysia's longest-serving Prime Minister, and one of the longest-serving leaders in Asia.During his term in office, he was credited for engineering Malaysia's rapid modernisation.Mahathir is also known for his criticisms towards western and developed countries.

Mahathir was born in Alor Setar, Kedah,the youngest of nine children of a schoolteacher and a housewife. His father, Mohamad Iskandar, was of Indian origin, being the son of a Malayalee Muslim (who migrated from Kerala) and a Malay mother, while Mahathir's own mother, Wan Tampawan, was Malay.

During World War II, he sold pisang goreng (banana fritters) and other snacks to supplement his family income during the Japanese occupation of Malaya. Mahathir attended a Malay vernacular school before continuing his education at the Sultan Abdul Hamid College in Alor Star. Mahathir then attended the King Edward VII Medical College (the predecessor of present-day National University of Singapore) in Singapore, where he edited a medical student magazine called The Cauldron; he also contributed to the The Straits Times newspaper pseudonymously under the nickname "Che Det". Mahathir was also President of the Muslim Society in the college.Upon graduation in 1953, Mahathir joined the then Malayan government service as a medical officer. He married Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali—a fellow doctor and former classmate in college—on 5 August 1956, and left government service in 1957.

From his marriage with Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah binti Haji Mohamad Ali, they have seven children,four sons and three daughters: Marina Mahathir, Mirzan Mahathir, Melinda Mahathir, Mokhzani Mahathir, Mukhriz Mahathir, Maizura Mahathir and Mazhar Mahathir.Both Mukhriz and Mokhzani are involved in business as well as in politics while their eldest daughter Marina is a prominent local writer and AIDS activist.
He successfully underwent a heart bypass operation in 1989 at age 63.

Prime Minister-
Mahathir became the Prime Minister of Malaysia on 16 July 1981 when Tun Hussein Onn stepped down due to health reasons. He was the nation's first Prime Minister that came from a modest social background, whereas the first three prime ministers were members of the royal or elite families.

After 22 years in office, Mahathir retired on 31 October 2003, making him one of Asia's longest-serving political leaders. Upon his retirement on 31 October 2003, Mahathir was awarded a "Tun"-ship, Malaysia's highest civilian honour.

Body Of The Presentation-
1.Introduction about Dr.Mahathir,his background,his family and during the World War II.
2.Dr.Mahathir taking his job as a Prime Minister.

Summary-
Dr.Mahathir always playing an important role in our country.He has a lots of idea since his secondary school time,until now,a political figure in Malaysia.Without him,
our country won't be that modern like now.

Conclusion-
As a Malaysian, i think we should appreciate their achievement and those people who put effort to our country. We must remember them and understanding them forever life.