girly punch
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Khutbah Rasulullah s.a.w. Menjelang Ramadhan
Selain memerintah shaum, dalam menyambut menjelang bulan Ramadhan,
Rasulullah s.a.w. selalu memberikan beberapa nasihat dan pesanan.
Inilah
pesan Nabi s.a.w. tatkala memasuki Ramadhan.
Wahai manusia! Sungguh telah datang pada kalian bulan Allah dengan
membawa berkah rahmat dan maghfirah. Bulan yang paling mulia disisi
Allah. Hari-harinya adalah hari-hari yang paling utama. Malam-malamnya
adalah malam-malam yang paling utama. Jam demi jamnya adalah jam-jam
yang paling utama. Inilah bulan ketika kamu diundang menjadi tamu Allah
dan dimuliakan oleh-NYA.
Di bulan ini nafas-nafasmu menjadi tasbih, tidurmu ibadah, amal-amalmu
diterima dan doa-doamu diijabah. Bermohonlah kepada Allah Rabbmu dengan
niat yang tulus dan hati yang suci agar Allah membimbingmu untuk
melakukan shiyam dan membaca Kitab-Nya. Celakalah orang yang tidak
mendapat ampunan Allah di bulan yang agung ini. Kenanglah dengan rasa
lapar dan hausmu di hari kiamat. Bersedekahlah kepada kaum fuqara dan
masakin.
Muliakanlah orang tuamu, sayangilah yang muda, sambungkanlah tali
persaudaraanmu, jaga lidahmu, tahan pandanganmu dari apa yang tidak
halal kamu memandangnya dan pendengaranmu dari apa yang tidak halal
kamu
mendengarnya.
Kasihilah anak-anak yatim, niscaya dikasihi manusia anak-anak yatimmu.
Bertaubatlah kepada Allah dari dosa-dosamu. Angkatlah tangan-tanganmu
untuk berdoa pada waktu shalatmu karena itulah saat-saat yang paling
utama ketika Allah Azza wa Jalla memandang hamba-hamba-Nya dengan penuh
kasih; Dia menjawab mereka ketika mereka menyeru-Nya, menyambut mereka
ketika mereka memanggil-Nya dan mengabulkan doa mereka ketika mereka
berdoa kepada-Nya. Wahai manusia! Sesungguhnya diri-dirimu tergadai
karena amal-amalmu, maka bebaskanlah dengan istighfar.
Punggung-punggungmu berat karena beban (dosa) mu, maka ringankanlah
dengan memperpanjang sujudmu. Ketahuilah! Allah ta'ala bersumpah dengan
segala kebesaran-Nya bahwa Dia tidak akan mengazab orang-orang yang
shalat dan sujud, dan tidak akan mengancam mereka dengan neraka pada
hari manusia berdiri di hadapan Rabb al-alamin.
Wahai manusia! Barang siapa di antaramu memberi buka kepada orang-orang
mukmin yang berpuasa di bulan ini, maka di sisi Allah nilainya sama
dengan membebaskan seorang budak dan dia diberi ampunan atas dosa-dosa
yang lalu. (Sahabat-sahabat lain bertanya: "Ya Rasulullah! Tidaklah
kami
semua mampu berbuat demikian."Rasulullah meneruskan: "Jagalah dirimu
dari api neraka walaupun hanya dengan sebiji kurma.\"
Jagalah dirimu dari api neraka walaupun hanya dengan seteguk air.
"Wahai
manusia! Siapa yang membaguskan akhlaknya di bulan ini ia akan berhasil
melewati sirathol mustaqim pada hari ketika kaki-kaki tergelincir.
Siapa
yang meringankan pekerjaan orang-orang yang dimiliki tangan kanannya
(pegawai atau pembantu) di bulan ini, Allah akan meringankan
pemeriksaan- Nya di hari kiamat.
Barangsiapa menahan kejelekannya di bulan ini, Allah akan menahan
murka-Nya pada hari ia berjumpa dengan-Nya. Barang siapa memuliakan
anak
yatim di bulan ini, Allah akan memuliakannya pada hari ia berjumpa
dengan-Nya. Barang siapa menyambungkan tali persaudaraan (silaturahmi)
di bulan ini, Allah akan menghubungkan dia dengan rahmat-Nya pada hari
ia berjumpa dengan-Nya. Barang siapa memutuskan kekeluargaan di bulan
ini, Allah akan memutuskan rahmat-Nya pada hari ia berjumpa dengan-Nya.
Barangsiapa melakukan shalat sunat di bulan ini, Allah akan menuliskan
baginya kebebasan dari api neraka. Barangsiapa melakukan shalat fardu
baginya ganjaran seperti melakukan 70 shalat fardu di bulan lain.
Barangsiapa memperbanyak shalawat kepadaku di bulan ini, Allah akan
memberatkan timbangannya pada hari ketika timbangan meringan.
Barangsiapa di bulan ini membaca satu ayat Al-Quran, ganjarannya sama
seperti mengkhatam Al-Quran pada bulan-bulan yang lain. Wahai manusia!
Sesungguhnya pintu-pintu syurga dibukakan bagimu, maka mintalah kepada
Tuhanmu agar tidak pernah menutupkannya bagimu. Pintu-pintu neraka
tertutup, maka mohonlah kepada Rabbmu untuk tidak akan pernah dibukakan
bagimu.
Syaitan-syaitan terbelenggu, maka mintalah agar ia tak lagi pernah
menguasaimu. Amirul mukminin k.w. berkata: "Aku berdiri dan berkata:
"Ya
Rasulullah! Apa amal yang paling utama di bulan ini?" Jawab Nabi: "Ya
Abal Hasan! Amal yang paling utama di bulan ini adalah menjaga diri
dari
apa yang diharamkan Allah".
Wahai manusia! sesungguhnya kamu akan dinaungi oleh bulan yang
senantiasa besar lagi penuh keberkahan, yaitu bulan yang di dalamnya
ada
suatu malam yang lebih baik dari seribu bulan; bulan yang Allah telah
menjadikan puasanya suatu fardhu, dan qiyam di malam harinya suatu
tathawwu'.""Barangsiapa mendekatkan diri kepada Allah dengan suatu
pekerjaan kebajikan di dalamnya, samalah dia dengan orang yang
menunaikan suatu fardhu di dalam bulan yang lain.""Ramadhan itu adalah
bulan sabar, sedangkan sabar itu adalah pahalanya syurga. Ramadhan itu
adalah bulan memberi pertolongan (syahrul muwasah) dan bulan Allah
memberikan rezki kepada mukmin di dalamnya.""Barangsiapa memberikan
makanan berbuka seseorang yang berpuasa, adalah yang demikian itu
merupakan pengampunan bagi dosanya dan kemerdekaan dirinya dari
neraka.\"
Orang yang memberikan makanan itu memperoleh pahala seperti orang yang
berpuasa tanpa sedikitpun berkurang. "Para sahabat berkata, "Ya
Rasulullah, tidaklah semua kami memiliki makanan berbuka puasa untuk
orang lain yang berpuasa. Maka bersabdalah Rasulullah s.a.w., "Allah
memberikan pahala kepada orang yang memberi sebutir kurma, atau seteguk
air, atau sehirup susu.""Dialah bulan yang permulaannya rahmat,
pertengahannya ampunan dan akhirnya pembebasan dari neraka. Barangsiapa
meringankan beban dari budak sahaya niscaya Allah mengampuni dosanya
dan
memerdekakannya dari neraka.""Oleh karena itu banyakkanlah yang empat
perkara di bulan Ramadhan; dua perkara untuk mendatangkan keredhaan
Tuhanmu, dan dua perkara lagi kamu sangat menghajatinya.""Dua perkara
yang pertama ialah mengakui dengan sesungguhnya bahwa tidak ada Tuhan
selain Allah dan mohon ampun kepada-Nya.
Dua perkara yang kamu sangat memerlukannya ialah mohon syurga dan
perlindungan dari neraka.""Barangsiapa memberi minum kepada orang yang
berbuka puasa, niscaya Allah memberi minum kepadanya dari air kolam-Ku
dengan suatu minuman yang dia tidak merasakan haus lagi sesudahnya,
sehingga dia masuk ke dalam syurga." (HR. Ibnu Huzaimah).
Rasulullah s.a.w. selalu memberikan beberapa nasihat dan pesanan.
Inilah
pesan Nabi s.a.w. tatkala memasuki Ramadhan.
Wahai manusia! Sungguh telah datang pada kalian bulan Allah dengan
membawa berkah rahmat dan maghfirah. Bulan yang paling mulia disisi
Allah. Hari-harinya adalah hari-hari yang paling utama. Malam-malamnya
adalah malam-malam yang paling utama. Jam demi jamnya adalah jam-jam
yang paling utama. Inilah bulan ketika kamu diundang menjadi tamu Allah
dan dimuliakan oleh-NYA.
Di bulan ini nafas-nafasmu menjadi tasbih, tidurmu ibadah, amal-amalmu
diterima dan doa-doamu diijabah. Bermohonlah kepada Allah Rabbmu dengan
niat yang tulus dan hati yang suci agar Allah membimbingmu untuk
melakukan shiyam dan membaca Kitab-Nya. Celakalah orang yang tidak
mendapat ampunan Allah di bulan yang agung ini. Kenanglah dengan rasa
lapar dan hausmu di hari kiamat. Bersedekahlah kepada kaum fuqara dan
masakin.
Muliakanlah orang tuamu, sayangilah yang muda, sambungkanlah tali
persaudaraanmu, jaga lidahmu, tahan pandanganmu dari apa yang tidak
halal kamu memandangnya dan pendengaranmu dari apa yang tidak halal
kamu
mendengarnya.
Kasihilah anak-anak yatim, niscaya dikasihi manusia anak-anak yatimmu.
Bertaubatlah kepada Allah dari dosa-dosamu. Angkatlah tangan-tanganmu
untuk berdoa pada waktu shalatmu karena itulah saat-saat yang paling
utama ketika Allah Azza wa Jalla memandang hamba-hamba-Nya dengan penuh
kasih; Dia menjawab mereka ketika mereka menyeru-Nya, menyambut mereka
ketika mereka memanggil-Nya dan mengabulkan doa mereka ketika mereka
berdoa kepada-Nya. Wahai manusia! Sesungguhnya diri-dirimu tergadai
karena amal-amalmu, maka bebaskanlah dengan istighfar.
Punggung-punggungmu berat karena beban (dosa) mu, maka ringankanlah
dengan memperpanjang sujudmu. Ketahuilah! Allah ta'ala bersumpah dengan
segala kebesaran-Nya bahwa Dia tidak akan mengazab orang-orang yang
shalat dan sujud, dan tidak akan mengancam mereka dengan neraka pada
hari manusia berdiri di hadapan Rabb al-alamin.
Wahai manusia! Barang siapa di antaramu memberi buka kepada orang-orang
mukmin yang berpuasa di bulan ini, maka di sisi Allah nilainya sama
dengan membebaskan seorang budak dan dia diberi ampunan atas dosa-dosa
yang lalu. (Sahabat-sahabat lain bertanya: "Ya Rasulullah! Tidaklah
kami
semua mampu berbuat demikian."Rasulullah meneruskan: "Jagalah dirimu
dari api neraka walaupun hanya dengan sebiji kurma.\"
Jagalah dirimu dari api neraka walaupun hanya dengan seteguk air.
"Wahai
manusia! Siapa yang membaguskan akhlaknya di bulan ini ia akan berhasil
melewati sirathol mustaqim pada hari ketika kaki-kaki tergelincir.
Siapa
yang meringankan pekerjaan orang-orang yang dimiliki tangan kanannya
(pegawai atau pembantu) di bulan ini, Allah akan meringankan
pemeriksaan- Nya di hari kiamat.
Barangsiapa menahan kejelekannya di bulan ini, Allah akan menahan
murka-Nya pada hari ia berjumpa dengan-Nya. Barang siapa memuliakan
anak
yatim di bulan ini, Allah akan memuliakannya pada hari ia berjumpa
dengan-Nya. Barang siapa menyambungkan tali persaudaraan (silaturahmi)
di bulan ini, Allah akan menghubungkan dia dengan rahmat-Nya pada hari
ia berjumpa dengan-Nya. Barang siapa memutuskan kekeluargaan di bulan
ini, Allah akan memutuskan rahmat-Nya pada hari ia berjumpa dengan-Nya.
Barangsiapa melakukan shalat sunat di bulan ini, Allah akan menuliskan
baginya kebebasan dari api neraka. Barangsiapa melakukan shalat fardu
baginya ganjaran seperti melakukan 70 shalat fardu di bulan lain.
Barangsiapa memperbanyak shalawat kepadaku di bulan ini, Allah akan
memberatkan timbangannya pada hari ketika timbangan meringan.
Barangsiapa di bulan ini membaca satu ayat Al-Quran, ganjarannya sama
seperti mengkhatam Al-Quran pada bulan-bulan yang lain. Wahai manusia!
Sesungguhnya pintu-pintu syurga dibukakan bagimu, maka mintalah kepada
Tuhanmu agar tidak pernah menutupkannya bagimu. Pintu-pintu neraka
tertutup, maka mohonlah kepada Rabbmu untuk tidak akan pernah dibukakan
bagimu.
Syaitan-syaitan terbelenggu, maka mintalah agar ia tak lagi pernah
menguasaimu. Amirul mukminin k.w. berkata: "Aku berdiri dan berkata:
"Ya
Rasulullah! Apa amal yang paling utama di bulan ini?" Jawab Nabi: "Ya
Abal Hasan! Amal yang paling utama di bulan ini adalah menjaga diri
dari
apa yang diharamkan Allah".
Wahai manusia! sesungguhnya kamu akan dinaungi oleh bulan yang
senantiasa besar lagi penuh keberkahan, yaitu bulan yang di dalamnya
ada
suatu malam yang lebih baik dari seribu bulan; bulan yang Allah telah
menjadikan puasanya suatu fardhu, dan qiyam di malam harinya suatu
tathawwu'.""Barangsiapa mendekatkan diri kepada Allah dengan suatu
pekerjaan kebajikan di dalamnya, samalah dia dengan orang yang
menunaikan suatu fardhu di dalam bulan yang lain.""Ramadhan itu adalah
bulan sabar, sedangkan sabar itu adalah pahalanya syurga. Ramadhan itu
adalah bulan memberi pertolongan (syahrul muwasah) dan bulan Allah
memberikan rezki kepada mukmin di dalamnya.""Barangsiapa memberikan
makanan berbuka seseorang yang berpuasa, adalah yang demikian itu
merupakan pengampunan bagi dosanya dan kemerdekaan dirinya dari
neraka.\"
Orang yang memberikan makanan itu memperoleh pahala seperti orang yang
berpuasa tanpa sedikitpun berkurang. "Para sahabat berkata, "Ya
Rasulullah, tidaklah semua kami memiliki makanan berbuka puasa untuk
orang lain yang berpuasa. Maka bersabdalah Rasulullah s.a.w., "Allah
memberikan pahala kepada orang yang memberi sebutir kurma, atau seteguk
air, atau sehirup susu.""Dialah bulan yang permulaannya rahmat,
pertengahannya ampunan dan akhirnya pembebasan dari neraka. Barangsiapa
meringankan beban dari budak sahaya niscaya Allah mengampuni dosanya
dan
memerdekakannya dari neraka.""Oleh karena itu banyakkanlah yang empat
perkara di bulan Ramadhan; dua perkara untuk mendatangkan keredhaan
Tuhanmu, dan dua perkara lagi kamu sangat menghajatinya.""Dua perkara
yang pertama ialah mengakui dengan sesungguhnya bahwa tidak ada Tuhan
selain Allah dan mohon ampun kepada-Nya.
Dua perkara yang kamu sangat memerlukannya ialah mohon syurga dan
perlindungan dari neraka.""Barangsiapa memberi minum kepada orang yang
berbuka puasa, niscaya Allah memberi minum kepadanya dari air kolam-Ku
dengan suatu minuman yang dia tidak merasakan haus lagi sesudahnya,
sehingga dia masuk ke dalam syurga." (HR. Ibnu Huzaimah).
Monday, September 10, 2007
Gotta Love Old Men
Overheard at Chadstone the other day by a customer eating at the food
Court and he noticed an old man watching a teenager sitting next to
him. The teenager had spiked hair in all different colors: green, red,
orange, and blue.
The old man kept staring at him. The teenager would look and find the
old man staring every time. When the teenager had enough, he
sarcastically asked, 'What's the matter old man, never done anything
wild in your life?'
The old man did not bat an eye in his response, 'Got drunk once and had
sex with a peacock. I was just wondering if you were my son.'
Court and he noticed an old man watching a teenager sitting next to
him. The teenager had spiked hair in all different colors: green, red,
orange, and blue.
The old man kept staring at him. The teenager would look and find the
old man staring every time. When the teenager had enough, he
sarcastically asked, 'What's the matter old man, never done anything
wild in your life?'
The old man did not bat an eye in his response, 'Got drunk once and had
sex with a peacock. I was just wondering if you were my son.'
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
jose and his amazing technicolour overcoat
A must see video for all football fan out there.
This is ace...!
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Somebody KILLED a rabbit this morning...!!!!
Oh yes.......this morning more or less the same spot of the unfortunate incident where a DUCK got killed few weeks ago.....someone KILLED a rabbit...!!!
Damn..........!!!
This is what we call a true animal cruelty...!!!
ps-whatever you do just be carefull (I mean SLOW down...!!!) when passing by the duck pond area.
Damn..........!!!
This is what we call a true animal cruelty...!!!
ps-whatever you do just be carefull (I mean SLOW down...!!!) when passing by the duck pond area.
Bloody BADMINTON ...!!!
As in "blood"y badminton....
Another broken racket and cut on a head !!!!
Accident while playing badminton tonight clashed with Maulana's racket and hit his head. He suffered an inch cut on the head.......!!
4th broken racket within one year, and 4 broken string...!!!
Nooooooooooooooooo...........!!!!!!!!!!!
Another broken racket and cut on a head !!!!
Accident while playing badminton tonight clashed with Maulana's racket and hit his head. He suffered an inch cut on the head.......!!
4th broken racket within one year, and 4 broken string...!!!
Nooooooooooooooooo...........!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Thursday, August 09, 2007
And yet another footbal season...!
As far as the title is concerned, I go for Chelsea - although not with a huge amount of conviction and not in a way that would tempt me to risk the mortgage on it.
I just feel they will be there, regardless of anything that happens. Malouda will be a great asset to Chelsea and no doubt will deliver what people expect from him. Watched the last world cup and truly impressed with him and of course Zizou...!!
They pushed United all the way last season, despite the fact that injuries hit them and United had an unbelievable campaign.
United look very strong after their summer transfer business but it is very hard to replicate the sort of brilliant season they had last time out.
So Chelsea for me - but you could almost decide it on the toss of a coin.
I just feel they will be there, regardless of anything that happens. Malouda will be a great asset to Chelsea and no doubt will deliver what people expect from him. Watched the last world cup and truly impressed with him and of course Zizou...!!
They pushed United all the way last season, despite the fact that injuries hit them and United had an unbelievable campaign.
United look very strong after their summer transfer business but it is very hard to replicate the sort of brilliant season they had last time out.
So Chelsea for me - but you could almost decide it on the toss of a coin.
Friday, August 03, 2007
I killed the DUCK !!!!!!!!!!!!
Somehow today I managed to "kill" the DUCK near Duck Pond at Univ.
Truly sorry and feeling very guilty.
I was in a hurry and then this duck tried to cross the road...........
Next minute....splatttt...!!!
Sincere apology to her friends...!
DUCK Murderer !!
Truly sorry and feeling very guilty.
I was in a hurry and then this duck tried to cross the road...........
Next minute....splatttt...!!!
Sincere apology to her friends...!
DUCK Murderer !!
Friday, June 08, 2007
YONEX Rackets Review
YONEX SPEC TABLE
Balance Model Flex Tested Balance Point (1-10) Additional Technology Common UK Weights
Head Heavy AT800O Ultra Stiff 10 Power Armour System/ X-Box Frame 81-84g
Head Heavy MP100 Extra Stiff 9 Ultimum Ti 85-89g
Head Heavy Ti-10 (New) Extra Stiff 8 Titanium Mesh 85-89g
Head Heavy AT900P Stiff/Extra Stiff 10 Ultimum Ti 81-84g
Head Heavy AT700 Stiff 10 Power Armour System/ Elastic Ti 81-84g
Head Heavy AT900T Stiff 9 Power Armour System/ Elastic Ti 81-84g
Head Heavy AT500 Stiff 8 Power Armour System 85-89g
Head Heavy AT800D Stiff 8 Power Armour System/Aero Frame 81-84g
Head Heavy MP88 Medium 8 Ultimum Ti 81-84g
Even Balance MP99 Extra Stiff 6 Ultimum Ti 85-89g
Even Balance CAB 30M Stiff 7 Classic Head Shape 85-89g
Even Balance CAB 20 Stiff 6 Classic Head Shape 85-89g
Even Balance CAB 10M Stiff 6 Classic Head Shape 85-89g
Even Balance MP66 Flexible 6 Ultimum Ti 85-89g
Even Balance MP44/45 Flexible 6 - 85-89g
Head Light NS9000X Extra Stiff 4 Elastic Ti/Solid Feel Core 85-89g
Head Light NS8000 Stiff/Extra Stiff 4 Solid Feel Core 85-89g
Head Light NS9000S Stiff 3 Elastic Ti/Solid Feel Core 85-89g
Head Light NS7700 Stiff 3 LSC System/Vibration Filter Cap 85-89g
Head Light NS7000 Stiff 2 - 85-89g
Head Light NS6000 Flexible 2 LSC System/Solid Feel Core 85-89g
Head Light NS5000 Medium 5 - 85-89g
Balance Model Flex Tested Balance Point (1-10) Additional Technology Common UK Weights
Head Heavy AT800O Ultra Stiff 10 Power Armour System/ X-Box Frame 81-84g
Head Heavy MP100 Extra Stiff 9 Ultimum Ti 85-89g
Head Heavy Ti-10 (New) Extra Stiff 8 Titanium Mesh 85-89g
Head Heavy AT900P Stiff/Extra Stiff 10 Ultimum Ti 81-84g
Head Heavy AT700 Stiff 10 Power Armour System/ Elastic Ti 81-84g
Head Heavy AT900T Stiff 9 Power Armour System/ Elastic Ti 81-84g
Head Heavy AT500 Stiff 8 Power Armour System 85-89g
Head Heavy AT800D Stiff 8 Power Armour System/Aero Frame 81-84g
Head Heavy MP88 Medium 8 Ultimum Ti 81-84g
Even Balance MP99 Extra Stiff 6 Ultimum Ti 85-89g
Even Balance CAB 30M Stiff 7 Classic Head Shape 85-89g
Even Balance CAB 20 Stiff 6 Classic Head Shape 85-89g
Even Balance CAB 10M Stiff 6 Classic Head Shape 85-89g
Even Balance MP66 Flexible 6 Ultimum Ti 85-89g
Even Balance MP44/45 Flexible 6 - 85-89g
Head Light NS9000X Extra Stiff 4 Elastic Ti/Solid Feel Core 85-89g
Head Light NS8000 Stiff/Extra Stiff 4 Solid Feel Core 85-89g
Head Light NS9000S Stiff 3 Elastic Ti/Solid Feel Core 85-89g
Head Light NS7700 Stiff 3 LSC System/Vibration Filter Cap 85-89g
Head Light NS7000 Stiff 2 - 85-89g
Head Light NS6000 Flexible 2 LSC System/Solid Feel Core 85-89g
Head Light NS5000 Medium 5 - 85-89g
AT900P/AT900T/AT800OFF/AT800DEF
Yonex Armortec Reviews
AT900 P (4U):
This racket has a very powerful smash but only when the shuttle hits the sweet-spot correctly, which incidentally I found to be quite small in size compared to other Yonex rackets. The shaft is noticeably stiffer than the other Armortec models and I also found it moved slower through the air than the other Armortec rackets. It was also quite difficult to control despite the power being there if used properly. Head-heavy balance but not overly so. Long handle – mainly for doubles play – personally not a fan of a long handle.
Overall Ratings: (1-10)
Power: 10
Control: 7
Maneuverability: 6
Defence: 7
Weight: Feels relatively light despite its head-heavy balance.
AT900T (4U):
This racket is very fast with a good smash. However, I found it to be the most head-heavy of all the Yonex rackets, probably due to the Elastic Ti being loaded into the top of the head. Due to this I found it to be a little cumbersome to control and move (seemingly the opposite of what Yonex markets the racket as). Defence was very good though due to the fast racket speed. Again – long handle, and for me this is a waste of a good long shaft!
Overall Ratings:
Power: 9
Control: 6
Maneuverability: 6
Defence: 9
Weight: Feels quite heavy due to its extreme head-heaviness, despite its light frame.
AT800 OF (4U):
The most noticeable thing about this racket is the shaft stiffness – phew! ULTRA stiff in my opinion. Smashing with this racket is very good but it’s not very manoeuvrable. Defence is rather difficult although driving and clearing are easy. This is probably the ultimate attacking racket, sacrificing control in the process. Again – the long handle.
Overall Ratings:
Power: 10
Control: 6
Maneuverability: 5
Defence: 5
Weight: Feels light but not too whippy due to the ultra stiff shaft.
AT800 DF (4U):
This racket is very manoeuvrable and also packs a great deal of power due to its aerodynamic frame. The shaft is relatively flexible for an Armortec and its defence was good. Again though I though the control of this racket could have been better. The long handle really annoyed me with this racket as I felt that if the shaft had been made longer, it could have been even more powerful! Good racket though all the same.
Overall Ratings:
Power: 9
Control: 7
Maneuverability: 9
Defence: 9
Weight: Feels light and actually quite even balanced, even though it is head-heavy.
AT700 4U):
In my opinion this is the best racket I have played with. For me it has the perfect balance of control, power and manoeuvrability. Its smashing power is immense and control is great too. I find it very easy to defend with, despite its head-heavy balance and how other people have said it’s difficult to move. It has a long shaft and short handle – designed more the singles player – but for an attacking doubles player this is also a great combination.
Overall Ratings:
Power: 10
Control: 9
Maneuverability: 8
Defence: 8
Weight: Feels noticeably head-heavy but relatively light overall.
AT900 P (4U):
This racket has a very powerful smash but only when the shuttle hits the sweet-spot correctly, which incidentally I found to be quite small in size compared to other Yonex rackets. The shaft is noticeably stiffer than the other Armortec models and I also found it moved slower through the air than the other Armortec rackets. It was also quite difficult to control despite the power being there if used properly. Head-heavy balance but not overly so. Long handle – mainly for doubles play – personally not a fan of a long handle.
Overall Ratings: (1-10)
Power: 10
Control: 7
Maneuverability: 6
Defence: 7
Weight: Feels relatively light despite its head-heavy balance.
AT900T (4U):
This racket is very fast with a good smash. However, I found it to be the most head-heavy of all the Yonex rackets, probably due to the Elastic Ti being loaded into the top of the head. Due to this I found it to be a little cumbersome to control and move (seemingly the opposite of what Yonex markets the racket as). Defence was very good though due to the fast racket speed. Again – long handle, and for me this is a waste of a good long shaft!
Overall Ratings:
Power: 9
Control: 6
Maneuverability: 6
Defence: 9
Weight: Feels quite heavy due to its extreme head-heaviness, despite its light frame.
AT800 OF (4U):
The most noticeable thing about this racket is the shaft stiffness – phew! ULTRA stiff in my opinion. Smashing with this racket is very good but it’s not very manoeuvrable. Defence is rather difficult although driving and clearing are easy. This is probably the ultimate attacking racket, sacrificing control in the process. Again – the long handle.
Overall Ratings:
Power: 10
Control: 6
Maneuverability: 5
Defence: 5
Weight: Feels light but not too whippy due to the ultra stiff shaft.
AT800 DF (4U):
This racket is very manoeuvrable and also packs a great deal of power due to its aerodynamic frame. The shaft is relatively flexible for an Armortec and its defence was good. Again though I though the control of this racket could have been better. The long handle really annoyed me with this racket as I felt that if the shaft had been made longer, it could have been even more powerful! Good racket though all the same.
Overall Ratings:
Power: 9
Control: 7
Maneuverability: 9
Defence: 9
Weight: Feels light and actually quite even balanced, even though it is head-heavy.
AT700 4U):
In my opinion this is the best racket I have played with. For me it has the perfect balance of control, power and manoeuvrability. Its smashing power is immense and control is great too. I find it very easy to defend with, despite its head-heavy balance and how other people have said it’s difficult to move. It has a long shaft and short handle – designed more the singles player – but for an attacking doubles player this is also a great combination.
Overall Ratings:
Power: 10
Control: 9
Maneuverability: 8
Defence: 8
Weight: Feels noticeably head-heavy but relatively light overall.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Loyal Wife
>>There was a man who had worked all of his life, had saved all of his
>>money,
>>and was a real misery when it came to his money.
>>
>>Just before he died, he said to his wife, 'When I die, I want you to take
>>all my money and put it in the casket with me. I want to take my money to
>>the afterlife with me.'
>>
>>And so he got his wife to promise him with all of her heart that when he
>>died, she would put all of the money in the casket with him.
>>
>>Well, he died.
>>
>>He was stretched out in the casket, his wife was sitting there in black,
>>and her friend was sitting next to her. When they finished the ceremony,
>>just before the undertakers got ready to close the casket, the wife said,
>>
>>'Wait just a minute!'
>>
>>She had a box with her, she came over with the box and put it in the
>>casket. Then the undertakers locked the casket down, and they rolled it
>>away.
>>
>>Her friend said, 'I know you weren't fool enough to put all that money in
>>there with your husband.'
>>
>>The loyal wife replied 'Listen, I'm a Christian, I can't go back on my
>>word. I promised him that I was going to put that money in that casket
>>with
>>him.'
>>
>>'You mean to tell me you put that money in the casket with him!!!!?'
>>
>>'I sure did' said the wife. 'I got it all together, put it into my account
>>and wrote him a cheque. If he can cash it, he can spend it.'
>>
>>
>>Send this to a clever female you know , or a man with a sense of humour...
>>
>>
>>I just did !
>>
>>money,
>>and was a real misery when it came to his money.
>>
>>Just before he died, he said to his wife, 'When I die, I want you to take
>>all my money and put it in the casket with me. I want to take my money to
>>the afterlife with me.'
>>
>>And so he got his wife to promise him with all of her heart that when he
>>died, she would put all of the money in the casket with him.
>>
>>Well, he died.
>>
>>He was stretched out in the casket, his wife was sitting there in black,
>>and her friend was sitting next to her. When they finished the ceremony,
>>just before the undertakers got ready to close the casket, the wife said,
>>
>>'Wait just a minute!'
>>
>>She had a box with her, she came over with the box and put it in the
>>casket. Then the undertakers locked the casket down, and they rolled it
>>away.
>>
>>Her friend said, 'I know you weren't fool enough to put all that money in
>>there with your husband.'
>>
>>The loyal wife replied 'Listen, I'm a Christian, I can't go back on my
>>word. I promised him that I was going to put that money in that casket
>>with
>>him.'
>>
>>'You mean to tell me you put that money in the casket with him!!!!?'
>>
>>'I sure did' said the wife. 'I got it all together, put it into my account
>>and wrote him a cheque. If he can cash it, he can spend it.'
>>
>>
>>Send this to a clever female you know , or a man with a sense of humour...
>>
>>
>>I just did !
>>
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Microsoft Surface
William Gates III himself showing off Microsoft Surface.
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/sticker-s...?autoplay=true
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cog8b8ojji0
Target audience of restaurant users, hotels etc.
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/sticker-s...?autoplay=true
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cog8b8ojji0
Target audience of restaurant users, hotels etc.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Badminton Central Guide to choosing Badminton Equipment
I have wanted to write a guide on what equipment badminton should focus on. By nature, badminton requires the player to have a few pieces of equipment to engage in the sports, items such as a racket and a shuttlecock are a must for a badminton player. However, often I see many player places the wrong focus on how they spend their money on equipment. A smart badminton player will spend money effectively to maximize their badminton playing experience.
However, before I start, I would like to point out that no badminton equipment can replace proper badminton skills. If you think you can spend US$200 on a racket and you can instantly play better, you are 105% wrong. A good set of equipment can only bring out the potential of a player with good skills. No equipment can fix your bad skills. Instead, I recommend you spend your money on some good coaching lessons. It will make much more difference in your badminton game than a shiny new racket.
I chose to list the equipment in decreasing order of important, in other words, I reckon that the badminton shoes is the most important equipment that a badminton player has, while their clothing is the least important.
Shoes
Contrary to popular belief, a good set of badminton shoes are the most important piece of equipment a badminton player can have. Badminton players move around the badminton court at an amazing pace, dashes and changes directions on every stroke of the rally, twisting and turning and lunging. All these movements are supported and made possible by the biggest unsung hero, the badminton shoes.
Badminton shoes are designed for badminton movements; a thin but well supported sole with good lateral support keep the player’s feet close to the ground, this allows for fast and ankle bending directional changes with lower chance of injury; light weight for faster feet movement; surface hugging gummy soles to grip the indoor surface without slipping.
The amount of torture we subject our lower body to can clearly be seen in people’s badminton shoes. A good pair of badminton shoes used by a decent player sometimes last only 3-6 months. At the end of its short life, you will find soles that are worn to the inner support, insoles that are worn through, strong upper leather that gave up and split due to the immense force exerted at it.
Pick your badminton shoes with care, make sure you choose the pair that fits the shape of your feet and thus the most comfortable.
And whatever you do, do not wear running shoes or any other thick soled shoes. They keep your feet too high up in the ground and all it will take is one deep lunge to have your ankle sprained. From then on, you will be in excruciating pain for days and the injury will affect your badminton game for years to come.
Good badminton shoes brands include Asics, Hi-Tec, Mizuno, and Yonex. Other smaller brands are starting to catching up as well.
String
The number two unsung hero of the badminton equipment is the badminton string. Afterall, it is the string that is in contact with the shuttle on every stroke. How the string interacts with the shuttle is crucial to the feel of each stroke. Depending on your skill level and the style of your game, you should pick a string and tension that is suitable for your game. String manufacturers usually have ratings of different string characteristics at the back of the string package. Pick the items that are most important for your game.
String tension affects the playability of the string as much as the string itself. The general rule of thumb is that the harder you can hit, the tighter your tension can be. A higher tension rewards a hard hitting while robs power from a light hitter. On the opposite end, a lower tensioned string helps light hitter with a better timed trampoline effect.
There is always the temptation to go higher in tension, but this is a case of bigger is not always better. Higher tension does not give you more power as mentioned above, beginners should always start with lower tension of around 20lbs, adjust it to 22-23lbs when you progress to intermediate and only go up to 25+lbs if you are gain more power in your technique. Using the inappropriate high tension will make the racket unresponsive, decreased power, and will easily cause injury.
Good brands for badminton strings are: Ashaway, Gosen, Mizuno, Yonex.
Recommended tensions: beginners: 19-20lbs . intermediate players: 21-24lbs. advance players: 25+ lbs.
Grip
The number three unsung hero of badminton equipment is the badminton grip. Similar to the string being the interface to the shuttle, the grip is the interface to the badminton player’s finger and hand. The game of badminton comprises of many very delicate movements and fine control from the player’s finger and wrist. A proper grip ensure that there is proper actuation and feedback to and from the racket.
Three major factors affects the characteristics of the grip: type, size and tackiness.
Badminton grips falls into two different type, towel and synthetic. The choice of which are personal preference. Towel grip are softer, provides good sweat absorption, but at the same time, is more prone to germ accumulation and needs to be changed often. Synthetic grips are less messy and less prone to accumulation of germs, however, they are not as good as towel grips when it comes to sweat absorption.
The proper grip size to use depends greatly on the player. Obviously a player with larger hands will prefer a larger grip and vice versa. It is often tempting to use a large grip, a large grip gives the false feeling that the racket is lighter and more maneuverable. However, one must again understand that badminton is comprised of subtle, agile and delicate movements in the fingers and wrist, a smaller (but not too small) grip will allow for higher agility and maneuverability of the racket.
Racket
Often times badminton players give the racket the most emphasis. If you go into badmintoncentral.com and you will find that most of the discussion centers on the racket. While the racket is certainly an important equipment, the importance of which is often overrated, and that is the reason why I put the Racket almost next to last in our recommendation list.
The badminton racket is the middleman when transferring force from the player to the shuttle, sitting right between the grip and the string. A badminton racket can be categorized by a few characteristics: shape, stiffness, weight, balance.
Virtually all badminton rackets are made of carbon fiber or graphite. Some manufacturers choose to put in extra ingredients into the racket material like titanium or recently nanocarbon. I want to emphasis that they are only addictives, the 99% of the racket is still graphite and the extra benefits of the additives are very marginal.
Badminton rackets comes in two major head shapes: Isometric/square and Oval. Oval is the traditional racket shape, it is a slightly bottom heavy oval, almost the shape of an egg. Oval rackets in general have a small but more concentrated sweet spot. Oval fans like the concentration of power around the sweetspot of the racket. The shape is the Isometric or square which became more popular after the early 1990’s. The Isometric head has a wider and more squared top half of the racket head. The advantage of the isometric is an enlarged sweetspot which give off-centered hit a better response.
The effective stiffness of a badminton racket is similar to the effective of string tension. So I will refer you back to that section. A stiffer racket has the similar effect as a higher tensioned string, while a flexible racket is similar to the lower tension string.
Rackets comes in different weights. Normally the racket alone weighs between 80-95g. Different manufacturers have different rating system, the most popular of which is Yonex’s U system, U = 95-100g, 2U = 90-94g, 3U = 85-89g, 4U = 80-84g. a racket’s weight determines how fast one can swing a racket, the lighter a racket, the faster one can swing it with the same force. In general, a lighter racket is more maneuverable than a heavy one. However, before everybody goes out and buy the lightest racket, I also want to point out that lighter isn’t always better. A light racket is less stable than a heavier racket, more force is necessary to keep its path, furthermore, a heavier racket has a larger momentum and thus more effective in transferring its speed and power to the shuttle.
The final racket characteristic is the balance of the racket. Head balanced racket is becoming more popular recently. Head balanced rackets have more mass near the head of the racket. A head balanced racket is more stable and have higher angular momentum when swung. On the contrary, a even balanced racket is more maneuverable.
As you can see, none of the different properties of the above characteristics are strictly better than other. Some players prefers slightly heavier rackets, some prefer slightly lighter, some like even balanced, some like head balanced. What I want to point out is that ultimately, it is a person’s skill level and style that determines what racket is suitable, go try them out if you can to see what fits.
Clothing
Badminton clothing is quite simple to choose. Aside from one personal fashion preference, badminton clothing is better kept light and unrestrictive. Shirts needs to be slightly loose and comfortable to allow for arm and body movements. Badminton is a game of sweat, very often we see a badminton player walks out of the court like he just came out of a shower. As it is always uncomfortable to have sweat stuck to one’s skin, sweat absorption and dissipation is thus important. There are many fancy sweat-wicking clothing out there, but from my personal experience, a good cotton t-shirt works well in most situation. If one gets really wet during a game, they are cheap enough so you can have a few spares ones to change into.
Shorts are the preference for most badminton players. Again, choose something that is light and not restrictive to movement, jumps and lunges are done often in badminton.
Again, clothing is mostly personal fashion preference, as long as the clothing allows for the extreme movements in badminton, it is usually quite ok.
I have mentioned it once and I will do it again here, while equipment is essential in badminton, the most important factor in badminton is still one’s badminton skills. Equipment will only have marginal effect on one’s game.
Source: Badminton Central
However, before I start, I would like to point out that no badminton equipment can replace proper badminton skills. If you think you can spend US$200 on a racket and you can instantly play better, you are 105% wrong. A good set of equipment can only bring out the potential of a player with good skills. No equipment can fix your bad skills. Instead, I recommend you spend your money on some good coaching lessons. It will make much more difference in your badminton game than a shiny new racket.
I chose to list the equipment in decreasing order of important, in other words, I reckon that the badminton shoes is the most important equipment that a badminton player has, while their clothing is the least important.
Shoes
Contrary to popular belief, a good set of badminton shoes are the most important piece of equipment a badminton player can have. Badminton players move around the badminton court at an amazing pace, dashes and changes directions on every stroke of the rally, twisting and turning and lunging. All these movements are supported and made possible by the biggest unsung hero, the badminton shoes.
Badminton shoes are designed for badminton movements; a thin but well supported sole with good lateral support keep the player’s feet close to the ground, this allows for fast and ankle bending directional changes with lower chance of injury; light weight for faster feet movement; surface hugging gummy soles to grip the indoor surface without slipping.
The amount of torture we subject our lower body to can clearly be seen in people’s badminton shoes. A good pair of badminton shoes used by a decent player sometimes last only 3-6 months. At the end of its short life, you will find soles that are worn to the inner support, insoles that are worn through, strong upper leather that gave up and split due to the immense force exerted at it.
Pick your badminton shoes with care, make sure you choose the pair that fits the shape of your feet and thus the most comfortable.
And whatever you do, do not wear running shoes or any other thick soled shoes. They keep your feet too high up in the ground and all it will take is one deep lunge to have your ankle sprained. From then on, you will be in excruciating pain for days and the injury will affect your badminton game for years to come.
Good badminton shoes brands include Asics, Hi-Tec, Mizuno, and Yonex. Other smaller brands are starting to catching up as well.
String
The number two unsung hero of the badminton equipment is the badminton string. Afterall, it is the string that is in contact with the shuttle on every stroke. How the string interacts with the shuttle is crucial to the feel of each stroke. Depending on your skill level and the style of your game, you should pick a string and tension that is suitable for your game. String manufacturers usually have ratings of different string characteristics at the back of the string package. Pick the items that are most important for your game.
String tension affects the playability of the string as much as the string itself. The general rule of thumb is that the harder you can hit, the tighter your tension can be. A higher tension rewards a hard hitting while robs power from a light hitter. On the opposite end, a lower tensioned string helps light hitter with a better timed trampoline effect.
There is always the temptation to go higher in tension, but this is a case of bigger is not always better. Higher tension does not give you more power as mentioned above, beginners should always start with lower tension of around 20lbs, adjust it to 22-23lbs when you progress to intermediate and only go up to 25+lbs if you are gain more power in your technique. Using the inappropriate high tension will make the racket unresponsive, decreased power, and will easily cause injury.
Good brands for badminton strings are: Ashaway, Gosen, Mizuno, Yonex.
Recommended tensions: beginners: 19-20lbs . intermediate players: 21-24lbs. advance players: 25+ lbs.
Grip
The number three unsung hero of badminton equipment is the badminton grip. Similar to the string being the interface to the shuttle, the grip is the interface to the badminton player’s finger and hand. The game of badminton comprises of many very delicate movements and fine control from the player’s finger and wrist. A proper grip ensure that there is proper actuation and feedback to and from the racket.
Three major factors affects the characteristics of the grip: type, size and tackiness.
Badminton grips falls into two different type, towel and synthetic. The choice of which are personal preference. Towel grip are softer, provides good sweat absorption, but at the same time, is more prone to germ accumulation and needs to be changed often. Synthetic grips are less messy and less prone to accumulation of germs, however, they are not as good as towel grips when it comes to sweat absorption.
The proper grip size to use depends greatly on the player. Obviously a player with larger hands will prefer a larger grip and vice versa. It is often tempting to use a large grip, a large grip gives the false feeling that the racket is lighter and more maneuverable. However, one must again understand that badminton is comprised of subtle, agile and delicate movements in the fingers and wrist, a smaller (but not too small) grip will allow for higher agility and maneuverability of the racket.
Racket
Often times badminton players give the racket the most emphasis. If you go into badmintoncentral.com and you will find that most of the discussion centers on the racket. While the racket is certainly an important equipment, the importance of which is often overrated, and that is the reason why I put the Racket almost next to last in our recommendation list.
The badminton racket is the middleman when transferring force from the player to the shuttle, sitting right between the grip and the string. A badminton racket can be categorized by a few characteristics: shape, stiffness, weight, balance.
Virtually all badminton rackets are made of carbon fiber or graphite. Some manufacturers choose to put in extra ingredients into the racket material like titanium or recently nanocarbon. I want to emphasis that they are only addictives, the 99% of the racket is still graphite and the extra benefits of the additives are very marginal.
Badminton rackets comes in two major head shapes: Isometric/square and Oval. Oval is the traditional racket shape, it is a slightly bottom heavy oval, almost the shape of an egg. Oval rackets in general have a small but more concentrated sweet spot. Oval fans like the concentration of power around the sweetspot of the racket. The shape is the Isometric or square which became more popular after the early 1990’s. The Isometric head has a wider and more squared top half of the racket head. The advantage of the isometric is an enlarged sweetspot which give off-centered hit a better response.
The effective stiffness of a badminton racket is similar to the effective of string tension. So I will refer you back to that section. A stiffer racket has the similar effect as a higher tensioned string, while a flexible racket is similar to the lower tension string.
Rackets comes in different weights. Normally the racket alone weighs between 80-95g. Different manufacturers have different rating system, the most popular of which is Yonex’s U system, U = 95-100g, 2U = 90-94g, 3U = 85-89g, 4U = 80-84g. a racket’s weight determines how fast one can swing a racket, the lighter a racket, the faster one can swing it with the same force. In general, a lighter racket is more maneuverable than a heavy one. However, before everybody goes out and buy the lightest racket, I also want to point out that lighter isn’t always better. A light racket is less stable than a heavier racket, more force is necessary to keep its path, furthermore, a heavier racket has a larger momentum and thus more effective in transferring its speed and power to the shuttle.
The final racket characteristic is the balance of the racket. Head balanced racket is becoming more popular recently. Head balanced rackets have more mass near the head of the racket. A head balanced racket is more stable and have higher angular momentum when swung. On the contrary, a even balanced racket is more maneuverable.
As you can see, none of the different properties of the above characteristics are strictly better than other. Some players prefers slightly heavier rackets, some prefer slightly lighter, some like even balanced, some like head balanced. What I want to point out is that ultimately, it is a person’s skill level and style that determines what racket is suitable, go try them out if you can to see what fits.
Clothing
Badminton clothing is quite simple to choose. Aside from one personal fashion preference, badminton clothing is better kept light and unrestrictive. Shirts needs to be slightly loose and comfortable to allow for arm and body movements. Badminton is a game of sweat, very often we see a badminton player walks out of the court like he just came out of a shower. As it is always uncomfortable to have sweat stuck to one’s skin, sweat absorption and dissipation is thus important. There are many fancy sweat-wicking clothing out there, but from my personal experience, a good cotton t-shirt works well in most situation. If one gets really wet during a game, they are cheap enough so you can have a few spares ones to change into.
Shorts are the preference for most badminton players. Again, choose something that is light and not restrictive to movement, jumps and lunges are done often in badminton.
Again, clothing is mostly personal fashion preference, as long as the clothing allows for the extreme movements in badminton, it is usually quite ok.
I have mentioned it once and I will do it again here, while equipment is essential in badminton, the most important factor in badminton is still one’s badminton skills. Equipment will only have marginal effect on one’s game.
Source: Badminton Central
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