I guess most of you have watched the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic in China. What a grand show...i did not watched it live but saw clips from the Internet. My house Astro is down...:(
Any way on Saturday played in a golf competition...Shell Invitation 2008. I played badly. Tee off was ok...was let down by iron shots and chipping. In my last competition my handicap was 21...this month it drop to 20. So yesterday i played 104 and after minus off my handicap...got 84 nett (bad score).
Today is my club's monthly medal. I played better today. Played 92, minus off handicap..got 72 nett..which is a par game for my handicap. And i got 2nd runner up. Got a trophy and a prize voucher worth RM100. Am planning to exchange it for Tiger Wood Nike cap...:)
May all of you have a great week ahead. Take care and God bless.
Last Tuesday morning received an sms from KL aunty...she mentioned she was already in Miri. I quickly rang her. She came for the Eastern Leg MALGA (Malaysia Amature Ladis Golf Association) golf competition. She did not informed in advance caused wanted to surprise me.
I went to the hotel to pick her and another lady golfer for lunch and they had a praticed round. The competition was on Wednesday and Thursday. She went back in Thursday nite...did not stayed for prize giving. She got second place in her division. Won a crystal tray..another lady golfer bring back to KL for her.
While she was here, i drove them around...from hotel to golf club and for dinner. Had fun with her and her fellow golfers. All of them got great sense of humour..:)
And it seems she is now into emails...:)
So here is one from her...cheers.
NICKNAMES a.. If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah.
b.. If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla and Four-eyes.
EATING OUT a.. When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.
b.. When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.
MONEY a.. A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs. b.. A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on sale.
BATHROOMS a.. A man has seven items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, deodorant and a towel .
b.. The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.
ARGUMENTS a.. A woman has the last word in any argument. b.. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.
FUTURE a.. A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband. b.. A man never worries about the future until he gets awife.
SUCCESS a.. A successful man is one who makes more money than hiswife can spend. b.. A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
MARRIAGE a.. A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't. b.. A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does.
DRESSING UP a.. A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail. b.. A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.
NATURAL a.. Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed. b.. Women somehow deteriorate during the night.
OFFSPRING a.. Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.
b.. A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
SO, send this to the women who have a sense of humor and who can handle it ... and to the men who will enjoy reading it.
Hello friends, Received this today. Please check out his web site.
Dear Blogger,
Hello.
My name is Edward Skading and I am writing to seek your corporation and support to help me uphold our consumer rights against F&N Dairies’ Contaminated Condensed Sweet Milk – Tea Pot brand.
The full information is posted on my weblog If you wish to contact me please send an email to eddskading@hotmail.com.
I would greatly appreciate your support to expose this incident to all Malaysians because it seems like most main stream media is not interested in this horrible discovery. I wish they would take notice.
I am also in the midst of being taken to court by F&N because of my determination for transparency and truth.
Please come forward and help me. I would greatly value it.
I was wrong, in my previous post i mentioned i would finished the book by Sunday evening. I finished the book, Sunday afternoon around 2pm. I bought the book Saturday nite, read 15 chapters of it before went to bed.
Continued again after breakfast and did not stop until i finished reading it.
Excerpt from the book: 1997
It has been a beautiful summer day, but now it was after midnight and the well known couple just wanted to get back to the apartment for a few hours of sleep before returning to London.
The paparazzi were waiting in front of the hotel on the Place Vendome, so they hurried out the back, she in light-coloured trousers and a dark blazer, he in jeans and a leather shirt. Instead of their usual limousine they were bundled into a less consipicuous Mercedes 280S. The security man from the hotel drove the car. The bodyguard a former member of the parachute regiment who had down two stints in Northern Ireland, got in next to him and fastened his seat belt.
As always, time was of the essence. A couple of photographers on motorbikes were already alerting their colleagues to join the chase. the driver quickly pulled out into the rue de Rivoli but found a car stalled in the lane for the champs-elysees. So he made for the Seine and the tunnel under the Place de Alma, just as the men who had blocked the exit knew he would.
Nothing had been left to chance. The closed-circuit video cameras en route and the speed-enforcement ones in the Alma tunnel had all suddenly "malfunctioned" at the stroke of midnight. The man with the brake box was waiting behind the tunnel's ninth concrete post for his cue, the moment when the Kawasaki motorcycle would come into view.
At exactly twenty five minutes after midnight, the two stuntmen on the Kawasaki came tearing through the concrete maze ahead of the Mercedes and the recently painted white car, weighted down with cement blocks in the trunk, that was poking along the right hand lane. When the driver of the white car suddenly turned his wheel full to the left and rammed the Mercedes, the piercing screech of shearing sheet metal filled the tunnel as the two cars went door to door.
The driver of the Mercedes was fighting to regain control when the man on the back of the Kawasaki-the one wearing the special goggles-turned in his seat and aimed his weapon. The American made Surefire Dominator high-intensity light flashed its 460 blue-white lumens directly into the driver's eyes, forcing the reflex known as optic shutdown. Later, the first paparazzo to reach the scene would report a blinding light coming from the tunnel half a mile ahead of him.
Now the man crouching behind the pillar hit the switch on his "Boston Brakes" box- a misnomer, really, as it was the drivetrain and steering wheel on the Mercedes he was now controlling, not the brakes- and moved the joystick violently left, then right, then left again. The 280s jerked to the left, crossed to the right ahead of the white car, and then came back across the road toward oncoming traffic, smashing into the thirteenth concrete pillar and coming to a stop, facing the way it had came.
In the back seat of the wreck, the boyfriend was dead and the woman who knew too much would soon be joining him. It was simply a question of injecting the dying driver with the syringe of alcohol and chemicals, detaching the shortwave receiver from the Mercedes drivetrain, and to sell the white car story, salting the crash scene with a few broken Fiat Uno parts. The white car had already driven away, followed into the night by the men on the motorcycle. Another car that had been traveling behind the Mercedes now slowed just enough so the man with the brake box could get in. Then it too sped away before the first of the photographers reached the crash.
My take : This book has 435 pages of intense scenes which captivates readers from the beginning to the end.
Its about a young lady Dr Amy (Phd holder) receiving a car from a bank in Ireland. It seems the bank is closing down and the bank were looking for people who had safe deposits there. Ian Fleming (creator of James Bond) had a safe deposit there. He had left instructions that 50 years after his death (he died in 1964), the contains in the box shall be given to Dr Amy. But because the bank was on the verge of closing down, they had to put forward Fleming's request.
The adventure began when Amy opened the box and saw a bunch of documents and letters from Ian to her. Ian and Amy's grandfather was involved in one mission during the fall of Germany. Reason for writing to her (and to be opened after 50 years of his death), so that the characters that was in his letter to her won;t be alive any more.
But since the letter was opened about a decade too soon, some of the people are still alive and would not want to see what Ian has documented.
Once Amy had received the papers and started to read the letters, people started to die and even on her way back to US, she was being followed and nearly killed.
Letters written to her can really cause embarrassment to the US and British government, especially the British Government. Especially the 'real' reason in 1936, King Edward gave up his throne to marry an American divorcee. But in the book, the reason he gave up the throne is because he was too friendly with the Germans and simply give information to other people. He was a 'liabilty' to the British government.
Lovely book, the story is well written and could be 'true' but we will never know..:)
Woman takes off her jeans, throws it at her boyfren n said
"make me feel like a woman".
Boyfren removes his jeans, throws at his girlfren n said..
"wash both!".
------------------------------------------
Bought a book last night "In Secret Service" by Mitch Silver. Will post on the review after i finished it (if going to plan..by Sunday evening, will finish it).
At the moment all i can say is...although it is a novel, but a lot of interesting people of the 20th century are in it. From Ian Flemming (creator of James Bond), main characters during world war 2, to the late Princess Diana (abt how she 'really' died).
May you all have a great weekend and a great week ahead.
Sorry for not blog hopping...since Sat my modem gone kaput. Today Telecom just replace a new one for me.
Nothing much over the weekend, except played in a golf competition. Got 8th position. This month my handicap went up from 20 to 21. I played gross score of 93..nett is 72 (in golf terms, quite good). No out of bounds and only lost one ball. I was surprise too. Cause the nite before the competition, rained heavily and i seldom play well when the course condition was wet.
Hopefully will keep on improving...:)
For 8th placing, i got RM100..:) All the winners had to drink 1 glass of beer before being allow to leave the stage...me not a good drinker...took more then 1 min to finished. Some people less than 10 seconds they finished a whole glass.
Got this from Monica..Thanks again. Will like to share with all of you..:)
The mighty Genie King and the beautiful Genie Princess from the magical Land of Faraway are back!
Upon escaping the clutches of their Evil Master after being held captive for 1000 years, the magical genies have been busy flying on their Magical Flying Carpet, granting wishes and spreading love throughout the blogosphere.
And now, the genies are back with a special gift for everyone! Behold the sacred, Magic Lamp of Luck! With this magic lamp, your blog will enjoy much good luck and fortune, warding off all things evil lurking around in the blogosphere.
We would like to share this magic lamp with you so please pass on the Magic Lamp of Luck to those in need of some good luck. Remember, do not be greedy or unkind, evil or vengeful and good luck & fortune will always be with you! Join us on another exciting magical adventure as we spread goodwill and good luck to one and all!
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1. Add your site(s) to the list once you have received the Magic Lamp of Luck.
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Hehe...last week was my birthday week (main day was 6.7.08, same as bro Akmal's).
Nothing major....just hanged out with friends on Wednesday nite. We went to one of the hotels for coffee and cakes. The cakes there are half price after 6pm. Forgot to bring the camera to take pictures of the cakes.
Saturday night had dinner with my GF at one of the retaurant in town (Lush is the name of the place).
I had a plate of Spaghetti. Not to my liking. A bit dry.
My GF had a plate of Chicken with mash potato. Very tasty and better than what i ordered.
I think this is one of a mexican dish called Fajita...tasty. Its like the mexican version of chinese spring roll..:)
On Sunday we went for Japanese style steam boat. Again forgot to take pictures of it. The above pictures were taken from my GF's hand phone.
Family was away so this year did not celebrate with them. GF bought me a pop soda shirt. White colour buttoned. She 'secretly' bought the shirt on Friday. Have already told her no need to get me anything...but she insist.
Got this tag from Yatie. Thank you Yatie. Good timing...:)
Will like to share this award to my fellow friends here. To all of you, thank you for your friendships and encouragements. May God bless you always (which also includes silent readers too).
Time sure passed by very fast. On the 6.7.08, will be my 1 year in the blogging world and 30 something years in this world. Here was my first post.
So what is my thoughts after 1 year in the blogging world?
I get to make friends from all over the place. Blogging has made the world smaller. hehe....even met up with one...all the way from US of A..:)
Blogging to me is like visiting a friend's place....thank you to all for welcoming me.
But Daphne is the best, she has met up with some of the top bloggers of Malaysia..:) Good on her. And 6.7.08 is also Akmal's birthday. Happy birthday bro.
For the past few years...usually celebrate my birthday with my friends, girlfriend and the actual day itself with my family. Celebrate with friends...usually go for Karaoke session...:)
But this year....a bit quiet because of high prices of EVERYTHING...just had supper with close friends and dinner with GF. Family is away....so home alone.
Any way...many things to write but just do not know how to put it here. Before i post this...just another round of thanks to all of you.
I sign off with this lovely msg from KL aunty.
Smooth roads never make a good driver :)
smooth sea never make a good sailor :)
clear skies never make a good pilot :)
problems free life never makes a strong person :)
Be strong enough to accept the challenges in life!
Don;t ask life, "Why me?" instead to say "Try me" :)
I was shocked to read it and will like to share it here so you all be careful and warn your family and friends. Its a real thing that happened to her friend and she shared her friend's email.
Dear all
Hope you are well. Would just like to share with you something that happened yesterday afternoon in hope that the knowledge will help parents prepare against such a happening.
There was an attempt to kidnap my baby from my parents’ house yesterday late afternoon (6.45p.m.). A black coloured car (make unknown) with a young Chinese couple (well dressed, polite and well spoken) came by my parents house. When my mom answered the door bell and went to the front gate they claimed to be relatives of my husband (said my husband’s surname) and that they had been asked the grandmother to come pick up my baby to bring my baby back. My mom told them that she is the grandmother and they responded by saying its my husband’s mom. Luckily my mom told them to wait and that she was going in to call my husband. When she went back into the house (locked both the grill and wooden door after her) and called my husband, they left.
We confirmed with my mother-in-law that she hadn’t send anyone over. Nor did most of his relatives know our house. Have made a police report.
Please take the following precautions (please tell your kids/maids/moms/babysitters): -Don’t go near the gate – make sure you stand a distance away when you speak with any visitors so that they cant reach and grab you or spray things into your face
- Keep the phone number of the security guard or local police beat in a prominent place both upstairs and downstairs for emergencies.
-Brief (and repeat on and off) your kids/maid/moms/babysitters to never let your children go with anyone other than yourself or to first call and verify and confirm with you.
First off congratulations to Tiger Woods in winning the 2008 US Open. And he did in pain. After not playing for 2 months, recovering from knee surgery after the Masters in April. He came back with out playing any competition or played any 18 holes golf. This open is the best one and it will be the talk of golfers for many years to come.
When i heard that he was playing through pain, i knew he will be out after the US Open and may missed the British Open in July. What i did not know is that he will be missing the rest of 2008 season. Another operation to fix his knee, so that he can continue to play in the long run. Can catch the story here.
After hearing this news, already people are talking that golf attendance might drop because the world top golfer won't be playing. This will give the rest of the players a chance to win some tournament. Tiger's world ranking points is so high, that if he does not play for 2 years, he will still be world number 1 (and it is based on the points between him and world number 2).
Now, what i am peeved about is another golfer who i don;t know either jealous or a bit of ding bat, i am sure Cat Cat and Mr GQ will agree with me..he should have kept his mouth shut. Got this from here. I hope Tiger sees this news and when he comes back, beat the crap out of this ding bat. And he better do not say he was misquoted or that sort thing.
European stars back injured Woods
Some of Europe's top players have backed Tiger Woods after Retief Goosen questioned the severity of the injury he played with in winning the US Open.
The South African suggested Woods, who had a third operation on his left knee in April, could have been faking.
But Woods's announcement on Wednesday that he will miss the rest of the season to have surgery back up claims that players heard noises from his leg.
Woods said he will subsequently miss the Open at Birkdale and the Ryder Cup.
The world number one will also miss the USPGA to have reconstructive surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee and to rehabilitate a double stress fracture of his left tibia which came about in preparation for the US Open.
Speaking to a German television station ahead of the BMW International Open in Munich, two-time US Open champion Goosen said Woods's injury seemed to come and go throughout the tournament.
"It just seemed when he hit bad shots his knee was in pain and on his good shots he wasn't," he said.
Asked if he felt Woods could have been faking it, Goosen said: "I think so. When he made the putts and he went down on his knees and shouting 'yeah', his knee wasn't sore.
Goosen later claimed he was just being "light-hearted," but added: "No-one but Tiger knows how badly hurt he was. But if he was really badly hurt, he would have withdrawn, wouldn't he?"
But Paul Casey said that Robert Karlsson's caddie heard Woods's knee creaking. "He was right there and clearly he was suffering," said Casey. "Noises from the knee doesn't sound good to me."
Niclas Fasth, the defending champion in Munich, said: "I didn't speak to Tiger, but he was obviously hurting."
And Graeme McDowell added: "Tiger is the first person to win a major on one leg - he's the greatest of all time. It was great drama and I don't care if he was injured or not. It made for fantastic television.
"Technically, physically, mentally he's better than everyone else and that's a scary thought. When he is on his game nobody is even close."
Woods play-off win at Torrey Pines secured his 14th major and he is now just four behind Jack Nicklaus's record haul.
Me and some fellow friends...usually say we don;t mind Tiger lose to so and so...like for example, we would not mind if he had lost to Rocco in this US Open.
But there are a few we do not want Tiger to lose to. And this ding bat just made the latest list of golfers we hope Tiger will pounced on.
To Mr Tiger Woods, i hope and pray that the knee surgery will be a success and you will recover well and be ready for 2009. Take care and God bless.
Please do this tag...i urge you. It is for a good cause. It is a breast cancer awareness thingy.
I'm sure the issue of breast cancer is painfully close to many people's hearts. To reduce the number of mothers, sisters, daughters and friends lost to this disease, The Breast Cancer Site was founded to help offer free mammograms to women in need, with a particular focus on minorities, low-income, and working-poor women.
Join their efforts together to protect women's health. Just click the pink button at The Breast Cancer Site as many times as possible in order for their premier sponsor to donate $ 10,000 for more free mammograms by this month.
1. Link to the person that tagged you - Yatie 2. Post the rules on your blog. 3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself. 4. Tag someone.
Hmmm....Not an easy one to do...
1) Do not like most customer services in Malaysia. It seems these people only serve well to hot shots or VIPs.
2) Do not like bullies of anyforms.
3) I love golf and hope Tiger woods will win next week's US Open.
4) I love to read books (just finished another Ann Rule's book).
5) Really hope the recent oil price increase will not burden the people too much (will see next week, what are the things the government will do to ease the burden).
6) Love Phua Chu Kang.....can never get enough of his entics....:)
Hmmm....probably most of you have done this tag...feel free to do so if you have not.
Before i go off on the oil price increase thingy...will like to do this post first.
Every year around this time, i will take a moment to thank the World War 2 veterans and those who fell for what they did on this day.....June 6 1944.
It was the day when Allies (Americans, British, French, Canadians, Polish and etc), stormed the Normandy Beach in France to take back Europe from Hitler's Germany (which had gained control since 1939). Many American soldiers had trained for this crusade and many died on the beach, some without even fired a single shot.
Therefore i am thankful for the sacrifices these men had taken, in wanting to secure a peaceful world.
This post is a salute to the men and women who risked their lives for their families and strangers of the world. The world might have been a different place, had the attacked failed.
And if any readers have relatives that fought in that war, please extend my gratitude. Veterans from that war is getting lesser and lesser each year. We must make sure ...that we won;t forget their sacrifices.
The Normandy Landings were the first operations of the Allied Powers' invasion of Normandy, also known as Operation Neptune and Operation Overlord, during World War II. D-Day for the operation, postponed 24 hours, became June 6, 1944, H-Hour was 6:30 am. The assault was conducted in two phases: an air assault landing of American and British airborne divisions shortly after midnight, and an amphibious landing of Allied infantry and armoured divisions on the coast of France commencing at 06:30 British Double Summer Time. It required the transport of soldiers and materiel from England and Wales by troop carrying aeroplanes and ships, the assault landings, air support, naval interdiction of the English Channel and naval fire-support. There were also subsidiary operations to distract the Kriegsmarine and prevent its interference in the landing areas.[1]
The operation was the largest single-day invasion of all time, with over 130,000 troops landed on June 6th 1944. 195,700 Allied naval and merchant navy personnel were involved.[2] The landings took place along a stretch of the Normandy coast divided into five sections: Gold, Juno, Omaha, Sword and Utah.
The Allies assigned codenames to the various operations involved in the invasion. Overlord was the name assigned to the establishment of a large-scale lodgement on the Continent. The first phase, the establishment of a secure foothold, was codenamed Neptune. According to the D-Day museum:
"The armed forces use codenames to refer to the planning and execution of specific military operations. Operation Overlord was the codename for the Allied invasion of northwest Europe. The assault phase of Operation Overlord was known as Operation Neptune. (...) Operation Neptune began on D-Day (6 June 1944) and ended on 30 June 1944. By this time, the Allies had established a firm foothold in Normandy. Operation Overlord also began on D-Day, and continued until Allied forces crossed the River Seine on 19 August 1944."[3]
A full moon was required both for light, for the aircraft pilots and for the spring tide, effectively limiting the window of opportunity for mounting the invasion to only a few days in each month. Allied Expeditionary Force Supreme Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower had tentatively selected June 5 as the date for the assault. Most of May had fine weather, but this deteriorated in early June. On June 4, conditions were clearly unsuitable for a landing; wind and high seas would make it impossible to launch landing craft, and low clouds would prevent aircraft finding their targets. The Allied troop convoys already at sea were forced to take shelter in bays and inlets on the south coast of Britain for the night.
It seemed possible that everything would have to be canceled and the troops returned to their camps (a vast undertaking because the enormous movement of follow-up formations was already proceeding). The next full moon period would be nearly a month away. At a vital meeting on June 5, Eisenhower's chief meteorologist (Group Captain J.M. Stagg) forecast a brief improvement for June 6. General Bernard Montgomery and Eisenhower's Chief of Staff General Walter Bedell Smith wished to proceed with the invasion. Leigh Mallory was doubtful, but Admiral Bertram Ramsay believed that conditions would be marginally favorable. On the strength of Stagg's forecast, Eisenhower ordered the invasion to proceed.
The Germans meanwhile took comfort from the existing poor conditions and believed no invasion would be possible for several days. Some troops stood down, and many senior officers were absent. General Erwin Rommel, for example, took a few days' leave with his wife and family, while dozens of division, regimental, and battalion commanders were away from their posts at war games.
Atlantic Wall Main articles: Atlantic Wall and English Channel
Standing in the way of the Allies was the English Channel, a crossing which had eluded the Spanish Armada and Napoleon Bonaparte's Navy. Compounding the invasion efforts was the extensive Atlantic Wall, ordered by Hitler in his Directive 51. Believing that any forthcoming landings would be timed for high tide (this caused the landings to be timed for low tide), Rommel had the entire wall fortified with tank top turrets and extensive barbed wire, and laid a million mines to deter landing craft. The sector which was attacked was guarded by four divisions.
Armoured reserves Rommel's defensive measures were also frustrated by a dispute over armoured doctrine. In addition to his two army groups, von Rundstedt also commanded the headquarters of Panzer Group West under General Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg (usually referred to as von Geyr). This formation was nominally an administrative HQ for von Rundstedt's armoured and mobile formations, but it was later to be renamed Fifth Panzer Army and brought into the line in Normandy. Von Geyr and Rommel disagreed over the deployment and use of the vital Panzer divisions.
Rommel recognised that the Allies would possess air superiority and would be able to harass his movements from the air. He therefore proposed that the armoured formations be deployed close to the invasion beaches. In his words, it was better to have one Panzer division facing the invaders on the first day, than three Panzer divisions three days later when the Allies would already have established a firm beachhead. Von Geyr argued for the standard doctrine that the Panzer formations should be concentrated in a central position around Paris and Rouen, and deployed en masse against the main Allied beachhead when this had been identified.
The argument was eventually brought before Hitler for arbitration. He characteristically imposed an unworkable compromise solution. Only three Panzer divisions were given to Rommel, too few to cover all the threatened sectors. The remainder, nominally under Von Geyr's control, were actually designated as being in "OKW Reserve". Only three of these were deployed close enough to intervene immediately against any invasion of Northern France, the other four were dispersed in southern France and the Netherlands. Hitler reserved to himself the authority to move the divisions in OKW Reserve, or commit them to action. On June 6, many Panzer division commanders were unable to move because Hitler had not given the necessary authorisation, and his staff refused to wake him upon news of the invasion.
The 21st Panzer Division (Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger) was deployed near Caen as a mobile striking force as part of the Army Group B reserve. However, Rommel placed it so close to the coastal defenses that, under standing orders in case of invasion, several of its infantry and anti-aircraft units would come under the orders of the fortress divisions on the coast, reducing the effective strength of the division. The other mechanized divisions capable of intervening in Normandy were retained under the direct control of the German Armed Forces HQ (OKW) and were initially denied to Rommel
The various factions and circuits of the French Resistance were included in the plan for Overlord. Through a London-based headquarters which supposedly embraced all resistance groups, Etat-major des Forces Françaises de l'Interieur (EMFFI), the British Special Operations Executive orchestrated a massive campaign of sabotage tasking the various Groups with attacking railway lines, ambushing roads, or destroying telephone exchanges or electrical substations. The resistance was alerted to carry out these tasks by means of the messages personnels, transmitted by the BBC in its French service from London. Several hundred of these were regularly transmitted, masking the few of them that were really significant.
Among the stream of apparently meaningless messages broadcast by the BBC at 21:00 CET on June 5, were coded instructions such as Les carottes sont cuites ("The carrots are cooked") and Les dés sont jetés ("The dice have been thrown").[11]
One famous pair of these messages is often mistakenly stated to be a general call to arms by the Resistance. A few days before D-Day, the (slightly misquoted) first line of Verlaine's poem, Chanson d'Automne, was transmitted. "Les sanglots longs des violons de l'automne"[12][13] (Long sobs of autumn violins) alerted the resistance of the "Ventriloquist" network in the Orléans region to attack rail targets within the next few days. The second line, "Bercent mon coeur d'une langueur monotone" ("soothes my heart with a monotonous languor"), transmitted late on June 5, meant that the attack was to be mounted immediately.
Josef Götz, the head of the signals section of the German intelligence service (the SD) in Paris, had discovered the meaning of the second line of Verlaine's poem, and no fewer than fourteen other executive orders they heard late on June 5. His section rightly interpreted them to mean that invasion was imminent or underway, and they alerted their superiors and all Army commanders in France. However, they had issued a similar warning a month before, when the Allies had begun invasion preparations and alerted the Resistance, but then stood down because of a forecast of bad weather. The SD having given this false alarm, their genuine alarm was ignored or treated as merely routine. Fifteenth Army HQ passed the information on to its units; Seventh Army ignored it.[13]
In addition to the tasks given to the Resistance as part of the invasion effort, the Special Operations Executive planned to reinforce the Resistance with three-man liaison parties, under Operation Jedburgh. The Jedburgh parties would coordinate and arrange supply drops to the Maquis groups in the German rear areas. Also operating far behind German lines and frequently working closely with the Resistance, although not under SOE, were larger parties from the British, French and Belgian units of the Special Air Service brigade Sword Beach Main article: Sword Beach
British troops take cover after landing on Sword Beach.The assault on Sword Beach began at about 03:00 with an aerial bombardment of the German coastal defences and artillery sites. The naval bombardment began a few hours later. At 07:30, the first units reached the beach. These were the DD tanks of 13th/18th Hussars followed closely by the infantry of 8th Brigade.
On Sword Beach, the regular British infantry came ashore with light casualties. They had advanced about 8 kilometres (5 mi) by the end of the day but failed to make some of the deliberately ambitious targets set by Montgomery. In particular, Caen, a major objective, was still in German hands by the end of D-Day, and would remain so until the Battle for Caen, August 8.
1st Special Service Brigade, under the command of Brigadier The Lord Lovat DSO, MC, went ashore in the second wave led by No.4 Commando with the two French Troops first, as agreed amongst themselves. The 1st Special Service Brigade's landing is famous for having been led by Piper Bill Millin. The British and French of No.4 Commando had separate targets in Ouistreham: the French a blockhouse and the Casino, and the two German batteries which overlooked the beach. The blockhouse proved too strong for the Commandos' PIAT (Projector Infantry Anti Tank) weapons, but the Casino was taken with the aid of a Centaur tank. The British Commandos achieved both battery objectives only to find the gun mounts empty and the guns removed. Leaving the mopping-up procedure to the infantry, the Commandos withdrew from Ouistreham to join the other units of their brigade (Nos.3, 6 and 45), moving inland to join-up with the 6th Airborne Division.
Juno Beach Main article: Juno Beach The Canadian forces that landed on Juno Beach faced 11 heavy batteries of 155 mm guns and 9 medium batteries of 75 mm guns, as well as machine-gun nests, pillboxes, other concrete fortifications, and a seawall twice the height of the one at Omaha Beach. The first wave suffered 50% casualties, the second highest of the five D-Day beachheads. The use of armour was successful at Juno, in some instances actually landing ahead of the infantry as intended and helping clear a path inland.[15]
Personnel of Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando "W" landing on Mike Beach, Juno sector of the Normandy beachhead. June 6, 1944.Despite the obstacles, the Canadians were off the beach within hours and beginning their advance inland. The 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars) and The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada achieved their June 6 objectives, when they crossed the Caen–Bayeux highway over 15 kilometres (9 mi) inland.[16] The Canadians were the only units to reach their D-Day objectives, although most units fell back a few kilometres to stronger defensive positions. In particular, the Douvres Radar Station was still in German hands, and no link had been established with Sword Beach.
By the end of D-Day, 15,000 Canadians had been successfully landed, and the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division had penetrated further into France than any other Allied force, despite having faced strong resistance at the water's edge and later counterattacks on the beachhead by elements of the German 21st and 12th SS Hitlerjugend Panzer divisions on June 7 and June 8.
[edit] Gold Beach Main article: Gold Beach At Gold Beach, the casualties were also quite heavy, partly because the swimming Sherman DD tanks were delayed, and the Germans had strongly fortified a village on the beach. However, the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division overcame these difficulties and advanced almost to the outskirts of Bayeux by the end of the day. With the exception of the Canadians at Juno Beach, no division came closer to its objectives than the 50th.
No.47 (RM) Commando was the last British Commando unit to land and came ashore on Gold east of Le Hamel. Their task was to proceed inland then turn right (west) and make a 16-kilometre (10 mi) march through enemy territory to attack the coastal harbour of Port en Bessin from the rear. This small port, on the British extreme right, was well sheltered in the chalk cliffs and significant in that it was to be a prime early harbour for supplies to be brought in including fuel by underwater pipe from tankers moored offshore.
[edit] Omaha Beach Main article: Omaha Beach
U.S. Army troops wade ashore on Omaha Beach during the landings, 6 June 1944. They were brought to the beach by a Coast Guard manned LCVP. Survivors of a sunken troop transport wade ashore on Omaha Beach.Elements of the 1st Infantry Division and 29th Infantry Division faced the veteran German 352nd Infantry Division, one of the best trained on the beaches. Allied intelligence failed to realize that the relatively low-quality 716th Infantry Division (static) had been replaced by the 352nd the previous March. Omaha was also the most heavily fortified beach, with high bluffs defended by funneled mortars, machine guns, and artillery, and the pre-landing aerial and naval bombardment of the bunkers proved to be ineffective. Difficulties in navigation caused the majority of landings to drift eastwards, missing their assigned sectors, and the initial assault waves of tanks, infantry and engineers took heavy casualties. The official record stated that "within 10 minutes of the ramps being lowered, [the leading] company had become inert, leaderless and almost incapable of action. Every officer and sergeant had been killed or wounded […] It had become a struggle for survival and rescue". Only a few gaps were blown in the beach obstacles, resulting in problems for subsequent landings. The heavily defended draws, the only vehicular routes off the beach, could not be taken and two hours after the first assault the beach was closed for all but infantry landings. Commanders (including General Omar Bradley) considered abandoning the beachhead, but small units of infantry, often forming ad hoc groups, supported by naval artillery and the surviving tanks, eventually infiltrated the coastal defenses by scaling the bluffs between strongpoints. Further infantry landings were able to exploit the initial penetrations and by the end of the day two isolated footholds had been established. American casualties at Omaha on D-Day numbered around 3,000 out of 34,000 men, most in the first few hours, while the defending forces suffered 1,200 killed, wounded or missing. The tenuous beachhead was expanded over the following days, and the original D-Day objectives were accomplished by D+3.
[edit] Pointe du Hoc Main article: Pointe du Hoc The massive concrete cliff-top gun emplacement at Pointe du Hoc was the target of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, commanded by James Earl Rudder. The task was to scale the 30 metre (100 ft) cliffs under enemy fire with ropes and ladders, and then attack and destroy the German coastal defense guns, which were thought to command the Omaha and Utah landing areas. The Ranger commanders did not know that the guns had been moved prior to the attack, and they had to press farther inland to find them but eventually destroyed them. However, the beach fortifications themselves were still vital targets since a single artillery forward observer based there could have called down accurate fire on the U.S. beaches. The Rangers were eventually successful, and captured the fortifications. They then had to fight for two days to hold the location, losing more than 60% of their men.
[edit] Utah Beach Main article: Utah Beach Casualties on Utah Beach, the westernmost landing zone, were the lightest of any beach, with 197 out of the roughly 23,000 troops that landed. The 4th Infantry Division troops landing at Utah Beach found themselves in the wrong positions because of a current that pushed their landing craft to the southeast. Instead of landing at Tare Green and Uncle Red sectors, they came ashore at Victor sector, which was lightly defended, and as a result, relatively little German opposition was encountered. The 4th Infantry Division was able to press inland relatively easily over beach exits that had been seized from the inland side by the 502nd and 506th Parachute Infantry Regiments of the 101st Airborne Division. This was partially by accident, because their planned landing was further down the beach (Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr, the Asst. Commander of 4th Division, upon discovering the landings were off course, was famous for stating "We will start the war from right here.") . By early afternoon, the 4th Infantry Division had succeeded in linking up with elements of the 101st. American casualties were light, and the troops were able to press inward much faster than expected, making it a near-complete success.
[edit] War memorials and tourism
The Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery.The beaches at Normandy are still referred to on maps and signposts by their invasion codenames. There are several vast cemeteries in the area. The American cemetery, in Colleville-sur-Mer, contains row upon row of identical white crosses and Stars of David, immaculately kept, commemorating the American dead. Commonwealth graves, in many locations, use white headstones engraved with the person's religious symbol and their unit insignia. The largest cemetery in Normandy is the La Cambe German war cemetery, which features granite stones almost flush with the ground and groups of low-set crosses. There is also a Polish cemetery.
The German War cemetery in La CambeStreets near the beaches are still named after the units that fought there, and occasional markers commemorate notable incidents. At significant points, such as Pointe du Hoc and Pegasus Bridge, there are plaques, memorials or small museums. The Mulberry harbour still sits in the sea at Arromanches. In Sainte-Mère-Église, a dummy paratrooper hangs from the church spire. On Juno Beach, the Canadian government has built the Juno Beach Information Centre, commemorating one of the most significant events in Canadian military history. In Caen is a large Museum for Peace, which is dedicated to peace generally, rather than only to the battle.
Lets hope this is not sweep under the carpet (if the case is true).
Ministry waiting for Taiwan molest facts
PETALING JAYA: The Tourism Ministry is waiting for the case facts regarding a Malaysian tourism deputy director reportedly arrested for molesting a female shop assistant in Taiwan, before deciding on the next course of action.
“We cannot take action just based on media reports. If there is a case, we will refer it to the disciplinary board for further action,” Tourism Ministry director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab said yesterday.
“We are waiting for the facts of the case from his superior,” he added.
On Thursday, it was reported that Ahmad Junaidy Yahya, deputy director of the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board’s representative office in Taiwan, was detained on Tuesday evening for allegedly groping a woman’s back and private parts.
He was questioned by the police but released on Wednesday morning after apologising to the victim. But she reserved the right to press charges of sexual harassment.
“The disciplinary board will have to consider the gravity of the situation, but the maximum penalty is expulsion,” said Mirza, who earlier launched the Asia International Tourism Expo (AITE) 2008 at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here.
On the three-day expo, Mirza said it was a good platform for smaller players in the travel industry to show what they had to offer, as “it is very expensive for small players to take part in big international fairs.”
He said that there were some 156 international buyers and 71 seller organisations at this “maiden expo.”
It is jointly organised by the Association of Tours and Travel Agents, the Bumiputra Tours and Travel Agents Association, the Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association and the Malaysian Indian Tourism Association, in close relationship with the Tourism Ministry and Tourism Malaysia.
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Would like to share this award to friends who visits this blog. Thank you so much for the kind words and the encouragement. Take care and God bless aways.
This award was given by Jeanne.
Thank you Jeanne for this award..:) I would like to share this award to all of you who visits this blog and the support you all have given. Thank you so much. May the good Lord bless you all, always.
Thank you Sweetiepie.
And i would like to share this with friends who consider me as one. Cheers...
I think this is one of a mexican dish called Fajita...tasty. Its like the mexican version of chinese spring roll..:)
