Grubby's words

If I were Chinese, I would say: "I will continue to work harder in the future." If I were Korean I would say, "I will destroy everyone in 2009." Howevever, I will simply say: "See you next time."

Merry Christmas, let the hogwarts fire burn!

Went out with huiyu, karen & aaron yesterday, to Golden Village Yishun. It was aaron who asked me out at first if i was doing anything on christmas eve, i replied no, so he asked if I wanted to catch a movie and ask more people along. Thus i asked hui yu karen teck seng & jermaine, the latter 2 were unable to make it due to DRAGON pox & rushing christmas presents respectively. Ah well. Anyway we still had 4 people going for the movie, decided to meet at 9 and catch the 9.45 slot. 

In all propriety, it was a pretty good show, to me at least. I think it would warrant a 3.5/5 stars from me. It wasn't very touching/impactful, but it made me think about a number of things, like how life is never ideal and the way you want it to be, and how a bedtime story seems so perfect when incoorporated into reality. Tobe honest, it also gave me inspiration to pick up the pen and paint a picture for myself. The rest found it ok, or so-so. I thought that the show did a good story out of churning a bedtime story and eclipsing it into real life. We realise that at the end of the movie that the main lead eventually gets what he has worked hard for the past 25 years, rather his whole life. While some people who slog their entire lives may not get what they want, some do get it. How about those that don't then? Does God have a plan for them as well?

I thus think, that there is nothing fair in this world, that both good & bad things can happen to any kind of people, rich poor, kind evil, tall short. Life is unpredictable and changes in the next very second as you count the present. It also brings me to the meaning of celebrating Christmas; everywhere there are people saying merry christmas, and the spirit and mood of the festive season really rubs onto me. It makes my day happy. It makes things appear happier in spite that I have a marketing exam tomorrow. All in all, it just makes me feel happier than what not. So why not celebrate it?

Christmas, no doubt, is the start to a better beginning. I am looking forward to the promise of the year of 2009. Only good things can happen then, and may God bless us all. 

P.S Anticipate my next entry on a reflection of 2008. 

CAPL - Carrots & Potatoes League?

Played CAPL today. First time i didnt FRO at capl, and we moved to the round of 16 tml. Hopefully we can reach the top 8, but shana just told me red bull give u wings is xinglei, thisisart-'s team. So the chances to win aren't high, but we will still persist. ;p 

Today the game against Impurez was a stunner, cleared them in 33 minutes. My Spectre with a score of 23-3 end game, butterfly threads yasha diffusal 2 bands. Won quite easily. Tml's game possibly won't be as easy as today's. Hopefully god will give us some luck tml. 

The Generation Game

There are many measures of sustained success, but one of the most intimidating was apparent at White Hart Lane on Saturday.

GettyImages

Sir Alex Ferguson is readying himself for the loss of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes in the next couple of seasons.

When Sir Alex Ferguson decided upon a double change, the men introduced had a combined haul of almost 50 trophies and the best part of 1400 appearances for Manchester United. Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are arguably the finest winger and the outstanding creative central midfielder of the Premier League era. Had Gary Neville, probably the premier right-back of the last decade and a half, accompanied them on to the pitch, that total of games would have been swelled above 1900.

They are the three survivors among the youth products christened Fergie's Fledglings, a trio of the most decorated players in the modern game and among the select band of one-club men. However, and perhaps for the first time in 17 years, it is possible that none is in Ferguson's first-choice side. Neville and Giggs, though captain and vice-captain respectively, can safely be described as squad players now. Scholes' status is the subject of greater debate: he was a regular starter before sustaining a knee injury in September.

Neville's position is under greatest threat. After a year on the sidelines, the pace of competitive football appears to have come as an unwelcome shock to him. A substandard display against Arsenal six weeks ago prompted a rethink from Ferguson, who swiftly turned to the next generation. Rafael da Silva appears the preferred right-back now and, given Wes Brown's unassuming excellence while deputising for Neville last season, the 33-year-old appears to be consigned to the fringes. If the da Silva twins are the 21st century Nevilles, Rafael's greater attacking verve ages the original model still further.

The footballing generation game can have a cruel ending: there are parallels with Paul Parker's swift descent from automatic pick to third choice. Moreover, with Neville in the final year of his current contract, neither an unconvincing outing in the centre of defence against Blackburn in the Carling Cup nor John O'Shea's ability to slot in at right-back bode well. For a man who has tried to personify the United support - not least in his attitude towards Liverpool - being discarded would be an undistinguished finish to a career at Old Trafford.

For Scholes, contracted until 2010, that day surely lies further in the future. He remains the finest passer at Old Trafford, capable of unlocking a defence with a deft touch or beating the goalkeeper with a ferocious shot, as Barcelona discovered in April.

Yet his presence on the pitch for a mere 66 minutes at Chelsea and just 55 at Liverpool is evidence of his physical failings. An ageing technician can be bypassed by athletes, and Scholes may no longer be a 90-minute player, especially when United do not dominate possession. When tiring, a poor tackler can become an unnecessary risk. And United can have a more resilient look when Michael Carrick is complemented by a workhorse such as Darren Fletcher or Anderson, though have a more inventive appearance when Scholes takes the field.

While David Beckham amassed millions of pounds, dollars, euros and headlines, the title of the greatest footballer from United's youth system in Ferguson's reign surely belongs to either Scholes or Giggs. The manager's vote would probably go to the younger man; he represents the connoisseur's choice. This pick, however, would be Giggs.

That is influenced by longevity. The Welshman was an established player before the rest of his generation emerged. Giggs' greatness is not universally accepted - indeed, he is curiously undervalued by many in Manchester - but he has defied many a prediction of his decline. In Moscow in May, Ferguson spoke of phasing Giggs and Scholes out, suggesting they may figure 25 or 30 times a season. The former already has 18 appearances this campaign, the consequence of his natural fitness and gift for reinvention.

GettyImages

Gary Neville: Soon to get taste of medicine he dealt to Paul Parker 14 years ago.

He can still glide forward, but increasingly he is a stranger to the left flank he once patrolled. A much improved sense of positioning enables him to function in a variety of roles, from shielding the back four to an unexpected cameo as a striker against Manchester City, whereas Scholes, a versatile performer for much of his career, only operates in the centre of midfield now. The Englishman is more likely to dictate play there, but the Welshman is the more regular scorer now.

Sadly for the nostalgic, they are rarely seen in harness. There came a time last season when it became rare for them to start together; the theory, presumably, being that younger legs could compensate for the presence of one footballing pensioner, but not two.

Now the challenge for each is to influence the game as a replacement, something Giggs managed as United clinched the Premier League title and then the Champions League in successive May matches. Ferguson has said Giggs can play on until he is 38, something Scholes, who has suffered more from injuries in recent years, is unlikely to do. And if that is the case, the first among them shall surely be the last, extending his record of United appearances towards 900 when all his contemporaries have left Old Trafford.

Not that he has a monopoly in durability: it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Ferguson will outlast them all.

Looooooooooooooooooooooooo

It's eh, 4:11 am in the morning, and I wake up in the comfort of my crouch in the living room. I hope it will be enough to sustain me throughout the rest of the day for the 20th, which also happens to be the date of CAPL's seasonal competition. Visit www.capl.com.sg for more details. Our brackets also happens to be the easier of the lot, with no known teams there. Thus we are expected to make it to the top 8, but i doubt it may come to materalize because i have not even attended a single team training together with the team. Nevertheless, it should be some easy fights, unless they prove to be stronger than the usual average Irc team. 

I don't feel sleepy when i don't sleep enough, i only do when it comes in the morning. And have u heard about the new Real Madrid-Cristiano Ronaldo saga again? It's starting to get on my nerves. I say if the man wants to go let him go. A man's heart once wavered never belongs to the same owner again. The same goes for the World footballer of the year/ballon o'dr/insert whatever football award here. Despite his numerous acclaims, he has not touched my heart as the most sincere footballer. i shall not discuss this further, and prepare for my matches later. Wish me luck!

Greatest Feminine Beauty

I AM TRYING TO STUDY ON MY BLOG!

Combe V Combe, 1957, Lord Denning.

"Where one party has by his words or conduct made ... a  promise or assurance which was intended to affect the legal conditions between them and be acted on accordingly, then once the other party has ...  acted on it, the one who gave the promise cannot afterwards be allowed to revert to the previous legal relations as if no such promise had been made."

Entores V Miles Far east limited Cooporation, 1957, Lord Denning

"If i shout an offer to a man across a river ... but i do not hear his reply (of acceptance) because it is drowned by an aircraft flying overhead ... there is not a contract at that moment.  If he so wishes to make a contract, he must wait till the aircraft is gone and then shout back his acceptance so that i can hear what he says. Not till i have the answer am i bound."

Time to move on

It has been about a few days since I have left DotaSg.

Yet it has been months of hard work and dedication that have flown past that i poured into this prior committment, that no longer stands today as i write this entry.

From covering events like WCG to writing articles about e-sports/dota news locally and internationally, sometimes i wonder if my work had been truly appreciated by the community and my superiors/colleagues. Sometimes i question my purpose for this. At the end of the day i realise there needs not to be any appreciation nor purpose; You just need to enjoy it, and be passionate about it. This factor alone is enough to ensure a consistent performance as a media crew, where other incentives such as money & praise are all substantial.

Addtionally, i have received offers to work for Team XTC & also team BVG. XTC most of you would know by now is a local gaming site, while BVG stretches internationally and has poland players. I am unsure of myself at this point. If i take up either of these offers would it seem like I left DotaSg to advance my ranks in the gaming industry? The real reason as to why i left DotaSg is only known to a handful of individuals who i had disclosed to because i trusted them. What would the rest of the community think if i did exactly that? 

Sigh.. life is hard and i realise you can't please everyone in whatever you do. What's most importantly is you must please yourself, because all this that's happening is all about you and not other people. No matter.. 

Below's my offical leaving letter from DotaSg:

Yep, it's official & true. I am leaving DotaSg as of this moment.

It has been a wonderful year, joining this bustling community and getting the chance to interact with so many bubbling gamers. No doubt, i have grown on all these and benefited alot from what i have learnt here, and these skills will always be vital to what i will hope to accomplish in the future.

As to why am i leaving, with the number of commitments on my plate atm. Nevertheless I am extremely grateful to Dotasg for this indefinite period of time, for all that i have learnt here and to DotaSg_Papa, who gave me the chance to be the person that i could never be. He has been the greatest mentor one could ever have and guided me through many occasions. He deserves the utmost respect and commendation for all that he has done for DotaSg and the gaming community, but many fail to see it. My only regret here is that it was never long enough to get to know you guys better and contribute my best to our gaming community, to reach out like how Papa has done so. Lastly, I would like to mention that I respect DotaSg with all my heart, the people here, everything here is like a essential part of my life since i joined in the earlier part of the year. This very short stint also covers the best of my life's experiences, and for that it will always be etched deeply in the corners of my heart. To everyone out there still reading this, stay healthy & alive in DotaSg!

I would like to end off with a quote:

“Things may come to those who wait...but only the things left by those who hustle.”
Abraham Lincoln

With that, I wish you guys all the best in your future endeavours & i sincerely hope that you guys will live better without me. Peace! ^^


Would like to Thank:

-DotaSG_Papa
-Sg_Lancelot
-Dreamchazer
-JTJY
-Forum friends eg Shana89, Fate, Darrenology, Juventusfc27, ZyhinoX, Nanoflame, Drakan, many others.
-Lastly to everyone else who i didn't mention, you all made who i am today. Thank you all!

You may view the original article here in full detail.

Horoscopy?

SAGITTARIUS - The Promiscuous One

Spontaneous. High appeal. Rare to find. Great when found. Loves being in long relationships. So much love to give. A loner most of the time.  Loses patience easily and will not take crap.  If in a bad mood stay FAR away.  Gets offended easily and remembers the offense forever.  Loves deeply but at times will not show it feels it is a sign of weakness.  Has many fears but will not show it.  VERY private person.  Defends loved ones will all their abilities. Can be childish often. Not one to mess with. Very pretty. Very romantic. Nice to everyone they meet. Their Love is one of a kind. Silly, fun and sweet. Have own unique appeal. Most caring person you will ever meet! Amazing in bed..!!! Not the kind of person you want to mess with- you might end up crying.

You kept me alive.

These four simple words from the English Vocabulary which we often use in everyday life in different contexts made me tear, a sudden gush of emotions that swept past me. 

I was watching World Trade Center. A show for those that fought & died on 9/11's tragic event. A similar act of terrorism just occured in Mumbai, and it was the closest to home as one of our very own fell to evil. There is a connection made between these 2 events. The innocent are harmed, regardless of status. It is sad, but it is somewhat fated. If we are to live or die, we cannot forecast it. They say that the 'Hour of Death cannot be Forecast'. (Quoted from Final Destination)

The double WCG champ Manuel "Grubby" Schenkhuizen has become the 11th player to be added to WCG's list of heroes.

The Dutch Warcraft 3 player won his second title in at the WCG Grand Final in Cologne, just as his countryman Wouter "Handewasser" van Someren. His previous gold medal dates from 2004.

Manuel 'Grubby' Schenkhuizen is the second Warcraft 3 player in the WCG HoF, the other one being the double champion and triple medalist Xiaofeng 'Sky' Li. They are in good company in the HoF as the list of Hall of Famers also includes Team 3D, SK's FIFA players Daniel 'hero' Schellhase and Dennis 'styla' Schellhase, the legendary Lim 'BoxeR' Yo Hwan, the former SK player Christian "GitzZz" Hoeck and others. All WCG Heroes are double gold medalists.

Source: [SK-Gaming]

CGS ceased operations

International - On the main page of the CGS's official website, they put up a notice indicating clearly that they could not sustain continual operations anymore.  

It was a shocking the very moment I was notified about this piece of bad news. However, after a while it kind of make sense. During the tough road we are going to face by the world, it might not be that surprising after all. Surprising or not, it is going to be a gigantic loss for gamers and fans worldwide. Locally, even though for the past couple years in Singapore's leg of the event with it's controversial incidents, still the event has brought more benefit to gamers locally. There are still many supporters and fans keeping themselves up to date with the happenings in CGS. It has allowed many gamers dream come true for them. It seems like a career as a pro gamer has became a reality. But now it has been cut short. Dreams shuttered, Hope Destroyed. What makes it more unfortunate that CGS has to go the way of the dinosaur even before the day we get to see them including DotA into their official game lineup. This is definitely a big one down for the gamers. There are speculations that maybe gaming will not spared from the worldwide economy downturn after all. The internal saying that gaming is recession proof might not stand in the face of looming recession. It is going to be the first time the worldwide gaming industry will be put to the test of their survivability in the upcoming economy super storm. Will we survive? Or be wash away by this storm of the decade? No one is sure, only time will tell. However, we will hold on strongly to our belief that we can tide over this super storm. Power of the mind, Law of Attraction or any mambo jumbo you call it. Well, if we have enough faith in it, it might turn out the we hope for. Be it Recession or Depression monster, we will chop you down with our mighty Divine Rapier. Back to the main topic, here is the press release from them.  

"AN IDEA WHOSE TIME CAME TOO EARLY Today BSkyB, STAR and DIRECTV ended their Championship Gaming Series® (CGS) joint venture. While the concept was ahead of its time and we are extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished, it became increasingly clear as this ambitious project evolved, that profitability was too far in the future for us to sustain operations in the interim. Our goal was to be ahead of the curve in the e-sports space, and conceived of CGS as a true sports league. We invested wholeheartedly in the venture and presented viewers with a top-notch production, but the economics just didn’t add up for us at this time. Our only regret is that we will lose a team of creative and talented individuals who invested their hearts and souls into Championship Gaming Series. We recognize their achievements and thank them for their hard work and passion. BSkyB, STAR and DIRECTV continue to be committed to the video games sector, which is an important part of many of our customers’ lives and a great source of entertainment."  

Source: [CGS]

Done by DotaSg_Papa @ DotaSg

To be the Ideal Guy: My Own Targets

Physical

• Clear of Pimples
• Grow taller -> at least 1.73m
• Suitable hairstyle -> I am thinking of cutting it short, once and for all
• Work towards a well-definied and maintained body

If i can fulfill these 4 conditions, i will undoubtedly reach the epitome of my physical masculinity.

Social/Emotional

• Exude confidence in speech and social interaction
• Stay in touch with my best friends
• Expand upon Social Network list 
• Meet someone i truly like soon

Career/Life Goals

• Finish Diploma in Biz management in MDIS and move on to Creative Writing in Singapore Polytechnic
• Establish parameters & avaliable content for VGO, my online e-shop set to launch on 3rd dec
• Expand on DotaSg's success and consolidate my media team, gearing towards higher level events for the future. If time permits, competitive gaming a viable option as well 
• Long-term goal is for multiple streams of income, hopefully passive, to stabilise my income levels

Which pest are YOU?

According to your birthday..

January 01 - 09 ~ Ass
January 10 - 24 ~ Slug
January 25 - 31 ~ Cockroach

February 01 - 05 ~ Parasite
February 06 - 14 ~ Bullfrog
February 15 - 21 ~ Skunk
February 22 - 28 ~ Snake

March 01 - 12 ~ Ape
March 13 - 15 ~ Cockroach
March 16 - 23 ~ Slug
March 24 - 31 ~ Parasite

April 01 - 03 ~ Ass
April 04 - 14 ~ Snake
April 15 - 26 ~ Slug
April 27 - 30 ~ Skunk

May 01 - 13 ~ Slug
May 14 - 21 ~ Bullfrog
May 22 - 31 ~ Cockroach

June 01 - 03 ~ Slug
June 04 - 14 ~ Skunk
June 15 - 20 ~ Ass
June 21 - 24 ~ Ape
June 25 - 30 ~ Parasite

July 01 - 09 ~ Slug
July 10 - 15 ~ Ass
July 16 - 26 ~ Bullfrog
July 27 - 31 ~ Parasite

August 01 - 15 ~ Ape
August 16 - 25 ~ Slug
August 26 - 31 ~ Skunk

September 01 - 14 ~ Bullfrog
September 15 - 27 ~ Parasite
September 28 - 30 ~ Ass

October 01 - 15 ~ Ape
October 16 - 27 ~ Skunk
October 28 - 31 ~ Snake

November 01 - 16 ~ Cockroach
November 17 - 30 ~ Parasite

December 01 - 16 ~ Ass
December 17 - 25 ~ Ape
December 26 - 31 ~ Bullfrog

If you are an Ass: A very loyal and sweet person. Your loyalty can never be doubted. You are quite honest and sincere when it comes to your attitude towards working. You are a very simple person, indeed. Absolutely hassle free, humble and down-to-earth!! That explains the reason why your friends cling on to you! You have a good taste for clothes. If your wardrobe is not updated with what is trendy, you sure are depressed. Popular and easy-going. You have a little group of dignified friends, all of them being quality-personified.

If you are a Slug: Always up to some sort of a mischief! The mischievous gleam in your eyes is what makes you so cute and attractive to everyone. You are an extremely fun-to-be-with kind of person. No wonder people seek for your company and look forward to include you for all get-together’s. However, you are sensitive which is a drawback. People need to select their words while talking to you. If someone tries to fiddle around and play with words while dealing with you, it is enough to invite your wrath.
God bless the person then!

If you are a Cockroach: Quite contradictory to your name, you are a peace loving person. You best try to avoid a situation wherein you are required to fight. An outdoor person, you dislike sitting at one place for a long duration. You are a born leader, and have it in you how to tactfully derive work from people. You love being loved, and when you receive your share of limelight from someone, you are all theirs!!!! Well, well… hence some people could even take an advantage, flatter you to the maximum and get their work done. So be careful….. ;

If you are a Parasite: An extremely lovable, adorable person, sometimes shy, with a passion for quick wit. At times, you prefer quietness. You love exploring various things and going into depth of each thing. Under normal circumstances you’re cool but when given a reason to, you are like a volcano waiting to erupt. You’re a fashion bird. People look forward to you as an icon associated with fashion. Basically, you mingle along freely but don’t like talking much to strangers. People feel very easy in your company. You observe care in choosing your friends.

If you are a Skunk: You are near to perfect and nice at heart. The examples of your kindness are always circulated in groups of people. You too, love peace. You wouldn’t like to retaliate even to a person who is in the wrong. You are loved due to this. You do not wish to talk behind one’s back. People love the way you always treat them. You can give, give and give love, and the best part is that you do not expect it back in return. You are generous enough. Seeing things in a practical light is what the best trait of you guys remains.

If you are a Bullfrog: You symbolize a very happy-go-lucky approach in life. Whatever the surroundings may be, grim or cheerful, you remain unaffected. In fact, you spread cheer wherever you go. You are the leader of your group of friends and good at consoling people in their times of need. You dislike hypocrisy and tend to shirk away from hypocrites. They can never be in your good books, no matter what. You are very methodical and organized in your work. No amount of mess, hence, can ever encompass you. Beware; it is easy for you to fall in love….

If you are a Snake: You are mysterious. You are someone who can handle pressure with ease, and can handle any atmosphere without going berserk. You can be mean at times, and love to gossip with your selected group. Very prim and proper. You like all situations and things to be in the way you desire, which, sometimes is not possible. As a result, you may lose out in some relationships. But otherwise, you love to help people out from difficult and tight spots when they really need you.

If you are an Ape: Very impatient and hyper!!! You want things to be done as quickly as possible. At heart, you are quite simple and love if you are the center of attraction. That way, you people are unique..You would like to keep yourself safe from all the angles. Shall your name be dragged or featured in any sort of a controversy, you then go all panicky. Therefore, you take your precautions from the very beginning. When you foresee anything wrong, your sixth sense is what saves you from falling in traps. Quite a money minded bunch you people are!!

:D

Life has a strange way of turning out. 

Today while walking towards Plaza Sing after spending an entire afternoon learing about business law at MDIS DG, i saw Ms Loh Chin Ee, my long-lost literature teacher in sec 3. She was a major source of inspiration after Mrs Lim, and it was really an inexplicable joy seeing her again. I thought I never would! And to think i was just viewing some of the chatlogs between me and her before the time she left just last night. Let me extract this part:

"Internal Conflicts and External Conflicts. Idealogy. the reason why 2 parties cannot see eye to eye. The essential ingredient. says:

i dont suppose we'll see u again?

chin says:

you never know

chin says:

life is unpredictable"

Indeed, life is unpredictable. Which, had some part to play in our unprecedented meeting today. Unpredictability breeds surprises in Life, and more often than not, such meetings with people who left a mark on your life back again. Oh, and did i mention she is getting married on 3rd june next year!!! A big surprise, but i'm sure she'll be very happy. There is nothing more joyful in life than finding your ideal partner. All the best Ms Loh and I hope your life ahead will be a fulfilling one!

Speaking about this meeting, i felt that we were strangely "fated" to meet. Why so? Well. Say I wasn't meeting Thomas and John at Starbucks OP. Then i wouldn't have walked to Plaza Sing. It is this sequence of events that led to both of us bumping to each other at the same venue. Don't u think so? Besides, its not just venue, the timing is also important. If i went to the toilet, i wouldn't have been able to catch Ms Loh. So many factors to consider, and yet, we still bumped into each other. Simply put, fate at work. :) 

To end off, let's take a look at one of the cases where Lord Denning, a judge, explains more about the concept of Promissory Estoppel.

Combe V Combe, (1951), Lord Denning explains more on the concept 'Promissory Estoppel':

"Where one party has by his words and conduct made ... a promise or assurance that was intended to affect the legal conditions between them, and be acted on accordingly, then once the other party has ... acted on it the one who gave the promise cannot afterwards be allowed to revert to the previous legal relations as if no such promise had been made." 

(... represents parts of Lord Denning's speech but not applicable to Promissory Estoppel)

Law is interesting and all, but the memorisation part is immeasurably edgy & difficult.

Hmm.. memories :(

My very own piece of prose, titled 'Ghost'. 

Ghosts

Night beckoned. The chill of the winter-cold night breezes past me, but it did not vex me, although I resolved to accommodate it in my stride with pride.

 

Presently I heard a scream- And I knew it was the scream of mortal terror, which implanted itself into the stricken hearts of many; mine in particular. It was not a groan of pain or grief- No! It was the stifled, uncontrolled sobbing of a fragility at work.

 

I knew the sound well. Many a night, when the rest of the world slept, it had welled up from my own anxiety, intensifying, with its dreadful echo, the terrors that distracted me unlike any other. I could feel what she felt; deeply underneath, even in death she was overwhelmed by this inexplicable sadness. She had tried to comfort herself with meaningless suppositions; however they were in vain as Death had been in dealing her fate. It was cruel; yet life still went on all the same. And it was the weight of her unprecedented actions, the guilt of denying her male foetus of a father, now even his life that betrayed her in deepest consequence that caused her to feel thus.

 

Those compelled cries could be felt in my heart, even though others could not hear them. But they were not hers. This time it was different. It was the voice of a young innocent crying out to me, as if he was gnawing at me to accomplish something. I scarcely breathed, holding the light motionless, with Death in accordance.

 

Now at the dead hour of night, when all is but long gone amid the dreadful silence of those long abandoned railway tracks, there was so eccentric a noise that incited me with insatiable curiosity. Yet, in spite of this, I refrained and stood my ground. But the hovering noise grew louder- louder I say! Then I thought my vessels might burst from the gloomy vestiges of this forsaken, desolate place. And so I trudged on without further contemplation, for fear that sounds might divert me from my true destination.

 

The coarse-grained rocks bellowed at me from beneath the ground, where railways tracks covered some of them. Where were the muffled sounds coming from? I spun around, hearing voices incomprehensibly in my head. I moved onto the tracks, suddenly – held there by the very ghost of her, moving yet unmoved.

 

“SWOOSH!”, as a train passes over these seemingly death tracks. Now I knew why - she wanted me to be his father all along.

A shorter version

Every night.

He would hear screams.

It was, at the railway tracks near his house.

 

She was pregnant.

Her child wanted him now.

He had to fulfill that calling.

 

Trapped by his own secluded thoughts,

Held there by the very ghost of her.

As a train passes over these seemingly death tracks.

P.S One of my very old works from sec 3, sent for the writing competition 'Inspire 07'. Didn't win anything but i really liked this piece. Now my passion for writing has seem to subsided, i no longer write like i used to. Hopefully i can rediscover that passion soon. 

For all you horny bastards out there

Jessica Alba
A gorgeous picture of Jessica Alba with little clothes on.


www.winterrowd.com

Grubby

I saw Grubby's winning moment. It was phenomenal. 

3 amazing games, and Grubby despite losing the first set came back even stronger on the next 2 and took them convincgly. His style of play is simply mesmerizing, the micromanagement was flawless and the positioning was undisputable. 

"The first match took place on Turtle Rock which is favourable more so for night elf than for orc. Moon set the tone for the matches early on with a swift maneuver, trapping Grubby in his own base with a shadow melded archer, setting the audience up for a micro intensive series of matches.

Grubby pulled out ahead after setting up an expansion and hitting Moon’s base repeatedly to throw him off. The Dutchman started to flaunt a commanding lead over teammate Moon, which gradually began to slip away as Moon’s harassment minimized the usefulness of Grubby’s expansion, while repeated raider kills kept the population margin tight.

A battle broke out in the center of the map where Moon dropped most of Grubby’s units to low HP, forcing him to back off. Moon seized his opportunity and pressed Grubby’s base. With so many low HP units Grubby was unable to hold Moon back effectively. Moon had come back from the dead to secure the first map.

Map two was on Secret Valley where Grubby came out swinging, scoring three Demon Hunter surrounds in as many minutes, eventually costing Moon his town portal. Fans literally leapt out of their seats at one point, screaming for Grubby to move his Blademaster which had auto-attacked an ancient of war while backing away from a fight, eventually getting away with only 1 HP.

Grubby’s early surrounds paid off when he caught Moon without a town portal, enabling him to do significant damage before backing away.

Both players’ initial mines collapsed allowing the night elf to take the lead after expanding with his tree of eternity, at no extra cost.. The two engaged one another by Moon’s expansion where, in the heat of battle, Moon lost both his Demon Hunter and Beastmaster, leaving Grubby a clear path to destroy Moon’s entangled goldmine. Moon used the last of his gold to revive his heroes at the tavern, but Grubby’s hero levels where just too powerful for Moon to handle with so few talons. Great timing, smart play and immaculate micro won Grubby the second map.

The final map fell on Twisted Meadows where Grubby got off to a good start, first creeping a gnoll camp without being harassed then flanking Moon while he crept a gnoll camp forcing the Demon Hunter to town portal.

Things turned abruptly in Moon’s favour when Grubby pushed the night elf base with just a Blademaster to cancel an ancient of lore. Moon played the situation perfectly, getting the surround kill on the Blademaster and blowing RotterdaM’s mind with his quick thinking. Moon was able to creep his goblin merchant in peace as a result and things really started looking good for the night elf player.

Moon, confident he had the advantage, pressed on towards Grubby’s side of the map to apply a little pressure to the orc. Grubby, not to be outdone by his teammate, rattled the audience by scoring two hero kills in the space of thirty seconds with a hex and speed scroll combo. 

From then on Grubby took control of the match. The perfect timing we had seen throughout the tournament really shone through on Twisted Meadows. Grubby eventually confined Moon to his base where he was able to overpower the Korean to take the match."

Source: [SK-Gaming]

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Bat

A bat just flew into my room and hovered above my head, it's slits for eyes and tiny fangs threatening to sink into that bit of neck it could glimpse... or it could not see, as bats are presumably blind by nature and rely on their sense of hearing to navigate around their surroundings. 

Interesting fact: I was playing 新不了情 rendition by 曹格 on Youtube. Perhaps that was what attracted the bat. Hmm...

Anyway, no i am not making this up. A bat flew in, through the typical window by my beside. I didn't feel it at first, but I feel it now. I felt something flapping beside me and turned my head around to look, and ho and behold, the most magnificent creature stood before my very eyes. You should know how much i hate these creatures if you do know me well enough. The slightest sight of a cockroach would stifle my displeasure or rather, fear of the thing itself. Weird, i suddenly remember something Hermione said in one of the Harry Potter movies: "Fear of the name only increase fear of the thing itself." Means i shouldn't fear the name the bat? It doesn't really apply here cause Voldemort and a bat, are well, different. Or maybe it could teach me to be Batman, to conquer my fears of bats. 

Anyway i ran, as women probably would. Haha you could call me a coward but i would not stay longer to be terrorized by some old mad-flying bat. My mum was telling me about how Bats arrive, it means something good, cause the chinese name is 'Bian Fu', and apparently it will bring 'Fu' to me since it came to my room. If that is true i feel damm good, woohoo! It has been so very long since something happy happened in my life. Hopefully something good really happens soon. :) 

Aye, off to study for PBM exam on monday now. Meeting Karen for breakfast at Long John at 8 later and to help her with her psychology stuff. Great, maybe the good thing will happen sometime soon. And apparently Teck seng's at Jian Hao's house now, doing something i know not! He says to come by my place tomorrow as huiyu initially wanted, but i am not so sure about that because she didn't get back to me regarding this matter. Huiyu if u read this msg me alright? =)

Happy Halloween! 

Am watching soccer in the wee hours of the morning, at about 4.20am. There is nothing much to do and i just discovered delight in SopCast, enables me to use lots of personalized gadgets for my laptop. 

Ronaldo just scored a goal! woohoo...

Livescore updates

Football, sizzling hot.

Liverpool celebration after Xabi Alonso's opening goal at the 10th minute

It's 2.30am in the morning now, and the weekend matches for the Premier League has come to a closure. The last match of the morning has just concluded; Arsenal against West Ham. Perhaps the greatest of them all was Liverpool's fated win over the seemingly unstoppable Blues, a well-deserved 1-0 victory that will forever go down in the history of Chelsea's Stamford Bridge where so many teams have tried and failed to beat the Blues Black. 

The results were nothing short of spectacular, but the match that caught my eye most was the big showdown between Liverpool and Chelsea. First to state, i am not a Liverpool fan, so please do not assume my words to be biased. Liverpool played superbly, with all their heart & valour tonight. This season Liverpool seemed to have always gone behind others as seen in Wigan and Man City but they always make a resounding comeback. This time at Stamford Bridge they took the game to one of the strongest home teams put together that has never lost since Feb 2004, and they have taken away a result that no other team would have dreamed of, but the Reds. For that I salute them, their bravery, their courage, to not concede in front of goal. Mention must be given to Carragher and Agger for holding the defensive line for the rest of the 80 minutes after their 1st goal showing composure in front of goal by Alonso at the 10th minute, as well as Skipper Gerrard pulling the strings at midfield. Even in the absence of Torres Liverpool did exceedingly well. There is nothing much more to say about this side. They definitely have what it takes to win the title this season, but i will no doubt still be rooting for Man U to win the League with the extraordinary amount of talent in their squad. Nevertheless, Liverpool have impressed me with their character of football and the way they hold the game. 

It seems at this point the passion for football at me is at a flying high. As such, i will attempt to do an analysis of the Big Four sides which are likely to win the Cup this season, as well as my own ratings on who has the best chances of actually winning it. (Note that the positions i gave are also indicative of how the positions of the Big Four will go about. So far my luck in predicting football matters has been quite good, so i think i will take a shot at this)

Arsenal (4/4)

They play the fastest, trademark free-flow attacking football i have ever seen, to the naked human eye. Able to launch a flurry of goals against considerably weaker sides (You just need to look at the way they decimated Porto & Fenenerbace in the Champions league to agree with me), they also show a great level of consistency in decimating the same opponents over and over again. The Gunners have, more often than not, rose to the occasion and grabbed goals at the eleventh hour, which makes fans and non-fans alike contemplate the possibility of winning the title this season.

Overall:

Wenger has shown that he is willing to work with young talent instead of the usual veterrans, but that may prove to be his eventual downfall this season. The average age of the squad is raftly 20-21 years old, which shows a lack of eptitude and experience in the field. The only veterans that really seem to be solid in their performance are players like Fabregas, Gallas, Adebayor, who are able to hold the Gunners together to fire their guns at the same time. However the new high flyers of Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri still have much more to learn in the sense of playing like champions should be playing. Losing in away matches has not helped and the shock home lost against Hull has not helped in augmenting their run for a title challenge this season as well. Losses aside, perhaps the Gunners will one day claim the BPL Cup again when their cream of youth are ready for the battle that lies ahead, but for now they will have to settle for something considerably lesser. 

Chelsea (3/4)

The most consistent, up-to-scratch team so far. They have also been touted as the 'favourites' to win the title this time round, based on the fact that their squad has not changed much in terms of quantity, but quality wise they have consolidated and bought quality signing such as Bosingwa as an attacking leftback. The only other signing includes Deco, but that was before Scolari came into play. Personally I think that Scolari has been the main uplifting for Chelsea. Chelsea has always been a good squad since i have watched them play, they have good players and they are probably the best bet for my money to be the ones to give Manchester United the most of a challenge if they were to meet in kick-off.

Overall: 

Today's loss at Stamford bridge signalled the end of their 29 home games reign since their loss to Arsenal in 2004. This will be an especially demoralising defeat for the Blues, and I feel this may just be the turning point for their League run. They have shown they are always performing, even with so many injured players off the squad they are able to snatch good results comfortably such as 5-0 win against middlesbrough last weekend. Like I said earlier, today's defeat is extremely significant because for once, it showed that Chelsea are vulnerable just like everyone else and worst still they were made vulnerable at their own home ground side. This will no doubt cause a huge dent in their morale and confidence, but I believe Scolari will have the kind of motivational ability to bring the team back on their level. By then, it may be too late to salvage the already devastated Blues when they are trailing leaders United.

Liverpool (2/4)

Pre-season there were doubts about Liverpool's ability to grab points as they grab pancakes on a frying pan. Not anymore after today's 1-0 win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Their performance signified their desire and will to win the game and ultimately to win the cup. They definitely have what it takes with the likes of the Torres-Keane partnership as well as new arrival A.Reira & R.Babel as attacking wingers to support their strikers going forward. The midfield is nothing lacklustre as well, with S.Gerrard supposedly one of the greatest midfielders in the world today who is able to save liverpool back from the brink of death with the most important goals for the Reds. Xabi alonso with his trademark long shots also exemplifies the Reds spirit and centreback Carragher has been masterful in organizing the defense, as shown in today's win over Chelsea where he and Agger were able to neutralize the attacking threats as well as keep Chelseas' attacking trio of Anelka, Malouda and Kalou at bay. No doubt this is a side that is ready to win after being starved of the title for decades. 

Overall: 

The downside features Liverpool hosting a bad tendency of letting in early goals, which could lead to dampening team morale. So far they have shown they are able to come back from those early goals at Man City and Wigan, but how long more can they keep this up when they meet the likes of other clubs that will not be so merciful to allow the Reds a chance at comeback? For that Liverpool may have to work a bit more on their in-game match physique and consistency. For one consistency is the element lacking most in the reds but luck never seem to run out for them as well. They might be destined to win the title this time round, which might explain their ending Chelsea's home run and my placing for them to come in runner-up for this season's league results.

Manchester United (1/4)

I am not saying this out of prejudice, or whatever else you might attempt to call it. Manchester United will win it. Simple as that. Just look at the amount of expounding talent they have in their squad and that alone is testimony as to how much strength they can garner for the title chase up ahead. The thing that sets Man United apart from the other 3 sides strong enough to mount a serious title challenge is that the Devils have players on standby to replace one another should one go down in international duty or other unforseen circumstances due to injury, etc. Fletcher is the best example of this. On opening day against Newcastle he snatched that all too important goal for United in the absence of midfielders Scholes and Anderson. Since then he has proven to have an uncanny ability to score those goals that prove critical to whether United draw or win a match, once again demonstrated by his excellent positioning in the match against Everton just yesterday when he read that perfect pass from Giggs and was able to slot it into the back of the net past goalkeeper Tim Howard, the only American goalkeeper in the Premier League. And he is just one example, but he has already been so clinical in finishing what needs to be done for United that Ferguson has found it hard to ignore him out of his starting XI. 

Overall:

That draw against Everton was unlucky, and sometimes you get an unfortunate result and you just have to live with it. However, Everton aside, the Red Devils just look to be in sizzling hot form this season, with the exception of Ronaldo who may need a few more games to establish his match finesee in the team. He seems to be off form of late but that may purely be due to his overwhelming desire to score more goals and top his 42 goal count last season for United, plus he missed pre-season training with the Devils. I am confident he will bounce back to make a more than significant impact for United in the matchs still to come. Besides, new signing D.Berbatov, 30.5 million, has already proven to be the modern version of Cantona, topping his debut with 4 goals apiece and current top scorer of the Champions League since he graced it with Bayer leyerkusen. Rooney, taking away 11 goals in the last 8 matches, is at the pinnacle of his career. There is no stopping the Devils now. All that remains to be seen is whether Liverpool or Chelsea will pose a threat dangerous enough to topple the Devil's position on the League. Arsenal's youth gunners are just too young to mount a serious title challenge.

P.S Clifton aka JuventusFC27 shithead is full of nonsense.

Grubby the best

I really thought well of this article done by MyM|Grubby, an international warcraft star around 2 months back so i will be posting it on my blog for all to see. Enjoy it guys.

"Imagine a huge football fan. It shouldn't be so hard to imagine, because there are billions of them in the world, literally. It's trendy and cool to be a football fan. And anyway, why not? I always believe you get born, later you die, and everything in between is for you to fill in however you like. A simple philosophy. To find something you are truly passionate about can sometimes take the better part of your life. When you find something early on in your life, you should consider yourself lucky. 

You can be a fan of something or someone for any reason. Perhaps they embody a spirit that you wish you had, or they followed career paths that you wish you could. Maybe later you even will. Maybe not. Maybe your idol's story is a story that is about beating the odds in an inspiring way. Or you can see their success to be really deserved because you admire their character and so on.

So is it cool to be a soccer fan? Usually I have found that it is. There is no stigmatization. Here we are, rooting for greater fame and acknowledgment of the eSports Scene, and at the same time we're making a big mistake. Anyone who announces themselves to be a fan of an eSports team or player will get shot down by other people. You have to ask yourself why.

P.J. Orgues (also known as ToaD or JuneWoo) used to be a huge soccer fan, but due to his disability he was unable to be a practitioner of the sport itself anymore. Because of his disability, his life changed. He doesn't ever complain about it, but it has made a difference. Because he can't play sports very well anymore, he has gained other interests. Now he likes to play computer games, and follow the eSports scene. Here is a guy with no malice in himself at all, who commits himself wholeheartedly to the support of a team or player. He is not afraid to tell other people that he is a fan - while many other fans apprehensively hide the fact that they like a player or team. "What if someone calls you a fanboy?"

In my own experience, I've been a fan of any number of people, but usually not for life. There was a time I really admired Schwarzenegger, because I thought he was so cool and big and strong. I didn't notice the funny accent or the poor acting, instead I saw a dragon-slayer that I wish I could be. I was young, later I grew up, my interests changed, and so did my idols. My dad has been an idol for me for my whole life pretty much. I've idolized other WC3 players. For any kind of reason, such things can change and it is not for other people to judge why.

As Orgues entered the eSports scene, he became a fan of Lyn. Perhaps he thought Lyn looked handsome, played so well, and gave cool interviews. Because of Lyn, he became a fan of what was the World Elite team at that time. Later, as those players went to SK, he became an avid fan supporter.

He caught a lot of spotlights because of his story and was even praised into the sky by Malystryx, a big SK fan himself. Of course, Malystryx works there now so he can't be expected to change his idols any time soon. 

Because of whatever reason, Orgues has come to identify himself more with the MYM squad now. Do you know the reason? I certainly don't. Maybe it has nothing to do with Lyn or the SK players themselves, but the feeling he gets when he reads SK forums full of crap about how Toad is such a fanboy... Yes he is, and so what? He has never done anyone any wrong, is in the eSports scene because he has a passion for something and because he can't do sports anymore, and some people see that as just cause for shooting him down with malicious jokes and so forth. It is nothing short of childhood bullying, with a big bunch of childish retards doing the bullying and with the victim trying to shrug it off maturely.

For someone where eSports is a big part of his life, how do you think it feels when everyone is jumping a bandwagon to attack him like that? What has he done to you?

Oh and Malystryx, I'm not sure that it's legally correct to put up someone's pictures with a bunch of text balloons of things he never said or never would say. It is so unclassy.."

And can you believe he typed that all in the span of 10 minutes, and such intelligent thoughts too.

Source: [MyM Grubby's contributions]

Are we daring enough?

In this modern era 21st century, should we opt to eliminate the misconception of a risk-averse mindset in order to achieve greater success? Although the possibility of failure is sky high, but as always failure is an element that is meant to exist in any given situation; and perhaps by taking the necessary risks and innovating further based on present circumstances, we may yet be able to discover eventual breakthroughs earlier than never.

A short reflection...

The other day on my way home from covering WCG, I was walking towards the Cityhall mrt at Suntec city, when something interesting apparently caught my eye. In front of me, there were 2 distinct ways through the underpass. One was the escalator way down, and the other was a flight of steps. To my inherent surprise, everyone was taking the escalator route instead of the long flight of steps.

I felt thoroughly disappointed; what exactly was wrong with the steps that no one was willing to explore? Let me give you this analogy; although you might say the steps is a more arduous route as compared to the automated machine, but by taking the flight of steps, wouldn't you be able to shoot ahead of the pack, as you are free to walk faster at your own pace, as compared to the escalator when you have to wait until you alight at your destination? Worse still, you are being blocked by other people as this is the conventional route that every of us takes.

Glancing around, i decided to take the flight of steps instead, with my media team who were alongside me. Very strangely, soon after us many other people started to follow suit. The same scenario repeated the following night again. It then dawned on me on what exactly was wrong with us. The fact is, we do not bother to explore greener, unknown pastures and everyone blindly follows without trying.


Wait, why are you telling me a story?

Well, why are international dota teams like MyM and SK so successful? Precisely because they dare to do things differently that no other teams will even dream of. Relating this to our local scene, i believe our attitudes are identical in the sense that how we behave in real life we often take into the virtual world as well. Maybe there is a minority out there who wouldn't, but i would like to urge all local gamers, to attempt to create your own gaming universe. There are many ways this can be done; if you have been looking to go competetive but have no idea to start, the general advice is to form a team of 5 on your own and take them through. For existing teams who are playing, don't give up. As simple as that. It is only a matter of how much you crave for it, actually. Ask yourself that question.

No one ever said the road was going to be a straight, never-winding one. On the other hand, it's not impossible to overcome all these obstacles either, as you can only grow with experience, and not diminish. As in the case of what i like to call the 'Escalator and the Steps' story, I believe many others will follow suit in adopting this positive mindset, which could possibly pave the way for new lasting trends to set in place in order for our gaming industry to prosper & progress further.

Putting things into perspective, we are gaming, afterall. That's the reason why all of us are here isn't it? But i truly feel the WCG song puts it best, because 'Beyond the Game' is what really matters, the process, and not so much of the end result. I don't think the fighting spirit should ever die out in any of us for that matter, and if we truly emulate that competitive spirit, E-sports should, at the very least, continue to bloom for eternity.

You either dream of living, or live your own dream.

NB: This article was done back in June after WCG.

Face the Change

I am trying to look at your face. Not to see if i like you, but to see if I like whats on your face.

Keith aka NanoflameN reminds me of one of the quotes I once sported on my instant messenger, "Changing the Face won't solve anything. Facing the Change solves everything." It is, indeed, an awe-inspiring relevant quote to our daily lives. Facing the Change tells us to face changes as how we should be facing them, and not to quiver and shiver in the face of adversities. He tells me he wants to face the change. I tell him to change his face :p

To fully understand the significance of this quote, for the most part, we need to explore the meaning of two important words: "Change" and "Face". Note that 'Ing' is added in the front and later part, meaning the action is currently taking place in retrospect.

"Changing the Face won't solve anything", simply put, is trying to carry across the impression that you can do whatever you want to your face, you can opt for plastic surgery, you can go on a course for removal-acne, you can patch an ugly spot, a birthmark or a mole. It won't change a thing. The only thing it will change is how your face looks like, and that doesn't mean you've changed in any particular way other than how you might look like. Even so, your contemporaries or elders may not realise any significance difference that has taken place in you, other than your face.

"Facing the change solves everything" is the direct opposite of what i've tried to explain to you earlier. This part of the quote tells you to face changes, to welcome them. Treat them as something that is part and parcel of life, for anything and everything in life can change. Today you might be you, tomorrow you might not be you. To accentuate, changes are not, in the common sense, bad. They evoke a sense of displeasure, which is also the initial reason why people shun them away. But they in all propriety are beneficial for growth; without change there can be no improvements. Aren't the technological improvements of today's modern 21st century a result of change? There, I have just proved my point that changes are essential to individual, societal and global growth.

To put things a little into perspective, I want you, my loyal reader, from today onwards to Face the Change. Not to run from it, but to face it. And in this valuable process you might discover you actually possess the ability to mould how you want others to perceive you in a different light. Because it is not the face on us that matters, but rather the face of our hearts that ultimately will shine through many occasions.

Change is you, you are the change. It is up to you to create them. No changes can take place without you wanting to change. Like they say, "Be the change you want to see in yourself in the future."

Face is something so literal that it
cannot be taken at face value. A face only shows external features, it doesn't
show you anything about external personalities. A face can be illuminated,
otherwise unreal. A mask can cover that face, which makes the face
amok and not a face. That mask stares at you, the face stares through it. You are staring at two different faces. You never know whose face to look at now.

Football: A new passion?

The footballing world is an unpredictable one. You look at it from this perspective today, and look at it from another just at the dawn of twilight on the second day.

Yesterday, my MDIS mates and me were trying to predict the scores for tonights champion leagues clash between various sides. I clearly remembered the New Paper pundits gave tips on how to bet, etc. They said Zenit would win comfortably by a margin of 2 goals or more. Instead, i found them to be fighting for their lives in what was to come a draw at the 85th minute, with Bate claiming the first goal. 

The point is not that Zenit lost when TNP pundits vouched for them; the point is how lucky i am not to be betting. Because by now when I look at how all the matches have gone down, i realise it is all down to pure speculation in which the pundits give their punt tips. There is nothing concrete, & nothing reliable. As we move on, we see Juventus losing to Real Madrid when 2 out of 4 punters voted for a Real Madrid win while the other 2 were sitting on the fence. Juventus proved them wrong when they led for most of the match 2 nil up till the dying minutes when Madrid salvaged the match with a electrifying header from Van nistelrooy. At the end of all this, I finally come to a decision; to watch Football purely for its entertainment sake, where the efficiency of passes and the power of shots satisfy me, my overall desire to watch the game, and ultimately determine the ebbing flow of where it will etch many years from now. 

I admit I have never been much of a soccer fan in the past, but things have changed. I love football and I love the game. I play Fifa 09 every night on my console. I play Fifa online 2 on my computer, to interact with the bustling football community in Southeast Asia. I read The New Paper and Football Weekly for daily updates on Club & International Football. Hell I even know Beckham is moving to AC Milan just when it was announced a few moments ago on SkySports. 

Now, you ask me whats my intention of blogging about this? How does football affect my life? Actually, pretty nothing much. I think i am just blogging for the fun of it and trying to derive some form of momentary pleasure from it, but considering the fact this is my first post since i left this blog to rot 2 years ago, i must admit it is a rather productive way to hone my writing skills through such a personalised article of my opinion.

Last night up till this morning was the first time 36 goals were scored on that same night, the most ever recorded in Champions League history.