wordy post... but hopefully interesting
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Newsweek does have some interesting articles, like I read yesterday on the way to get my last clothing articles for Dubai.
We all know of Kenyan and (as a larger group, African [though not a country]) runners who make a name for themselves in many runs that they take part in. But We haven't really wondered how Ethiopian runners ran away from a dictatorial country, one with the ever-present image bubble of child militia and undernourished kids, managed to make it big. Haile Gebreselassie was a young boy when he entered his first 1.5k race in school, winning the race despite being oveshadowed by much bigger individuals.
At 16, he was invited to Addis Ababa for the national championships. He had never seen multi-storey buildings before, and was amazed by the landscape. However, a crushing disappointment came when he was told his race was cancelled. They tried to inform him earlier, but at that time, the information was most reliable carried out face to face. Deciding he couldn't return to his village without racing, he decided to join a marathon. The coach was very reluctant, but backed down when Haile started to cry. Cutting the story short, (since TPJC people should by all means have read the damn thing they subscribed for) this 16 year old boy finished the marathon in 2 hours and 48 minutes, in the top 100 positions. Remember, he is a 16 year-old boy. His lack of proper footwear meant the shoes had given way during the race, causing him to suffer numerous blitsters and bleedng from the foot that he had to endure while completing the race.
He finished a marathon in Berlin last month in what was said to be the fasted running time ever, of 2:03:59.
And, oh, I just checked out his name on the internet. Apparently one reason that might have attributed to his timings was that he ran 10 kilometers to get to school everyday.
That aside, The Straits Times has quite some interesting stuff too. Read the one on the tudung-clad robber who tried to rob a bank? I think the security guard had some decisiveness and reflexes. He should really be lauded. But really, what was up with the Tudung? My guess is, the guy was really desperate and couldn't find a better way to conceal his face without attracting attention. Otherwise, he could have been a closeted cross-dresser and found this heist the best way to emerge from the musty wardrobe.
Then there's this one about electronic gadgedry in dars nowadays. What is wrong with the guy who installed a PS2 just so that he has something to do while waiting for his wife 15 minutes from work everyday? 15 minutes? You can't be serious. If you can't wait, leave the office later! Besides, what can you do with 15 minutes? to nearly every other office worker seeing him, he must look like some childish dork. And how about the guy who installed a TV in the dashboard in between the two seats? "...So my wife can catch the news, and so can I." talk about a cruising deathtrap.
posted by joseph at 7:26 AM