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Classic French at Ma Maison Posted: 31 Aug 2012 05:26 PM PDT The Escalope de Foie Gras Canard Miss Chan is named after a favourite diner at Ma Maison. KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 ― Few French chefs here cook the way Bertrand J. Langlet does, using the classic techniques that have stayed with him, unchanged for the 16 years he has had Ma Maison in Kuala Lumpur. There is no such thing as a platter prettily decorated with tiny blobs of food at his restaurant. If the Roast Lamb Rack with Mustard Crust calls for sauce, it's there, generously, for you to dip the meat in or slurp up if you like. If you started out ravenous, you would leave satiated. We had this excellent lamb at our latest visit to Ma Maison. The meat was juicy and flavourful, the crust moist and lovely touched with the sauce. And I also liked the way the plate is heated before the food is laid on it and served. It's an old-fashioned touch that's not often practised these days. Bertrand Langlet, the chef owner of Ma Maison. Half a dozen Fine de Claire oysters were a fine, fresh start to dinner, followed by a basket of garlic toast hot from the oven. It was really nice settling down to a truly French meal in the cosy "home" setting of this restaurant. The Escargots a la Bourgninonne or snails in Burgundy style were so good. The luscious escargots sat in a pool of melted garlic and herb butter, with stirring aromas. All the flavours clung to the escargots and even after we had eaten them we still wanted to dip our bread into the butter. I had ordered a French Onion Soup, my nose following its delicious aroma as it was brought in. The soup was thick with caramelised onions that had poured its sweetness into the beef broth, and baked with a piece of bread on top, with cheese melting on it. It was the best French onion soup I had tasted in years. After this one, you can disregard all others, which are usually bland and insipid, even if the chef has professed to have made it to his maman's recipe. Cod fish cooked in garlic stock with escargot is full of flavours. Baked Goat Cheese on Greens with Gizzard was unusual. There were crusty round pieces of tart goat cheese on a salad of cucumber, lettuce and tomato, and in the centre were mushrooms sautéed with chicken gizzard. You can't leave Ma Maison without having the Escalope de Foie Gras Canard "Miss Chan", named after Bertrand's favourite and long-time diner at the restaurant. The foie gras sits on a potato galette, with grapes on top, and more grapes on the plate together with lettuce and tomato in a sauce. The foie gras has a thin crispy crust. As you bite, it goes "puck", and you touch the rich, creamy centre of this duck liver. It's a deliciously sinful experience, but ah, there is the salad for a light, fruity and healthy balance. A lighter main course would be the Codfish Cooked in Garlic Stock with Escargot. There are leek, carrot, cabbage and potato, together with chunks of creamy cod in the tasty stock, with a little vinegar to cut the richness of the dish. I liked this, and the fact that the dish stayed hot throughout, even though we were sharing a lot of food. The cod came with a lovely potato gratin. The best French Onion Soup in the city. Duck is always a good choice at Ma Maison, and the Duck Leg with Orange Sauce is a French classic. None do it better than Bertrand; the crispy roasted skin of the duck leg breaks into tender meat at the bite, well complemented by the lightly sweet orange sauce. As for dessert, try the French Toast, Raspberry Coulis and Cinnamon, topped with ice-cream, and the Crème Caramel. Both are to die for. There are also the Crepes Ma Maison, which are apple pancakes with orange and vanilla ice-cream. The food portions are generous at Ma Maison, and you need to share them. The Lamb Rack is RM60, Baked Goat Cheese Salad RM28, Escargots RM24, Foie Gras RM54, Cod RM54, Crème Caramel RM10, the French Toast RM16. The restaurant is a charming one-man show, much like those you find in Europe. French cuisine is already being acknowledged as a dying art in France (as in the book "Au Revoir to All That" by Michael Steinberger). That we still have a French chef here steeped in the traditional ways of French cooking is remarkable. Ma Maison is pork-free. It is located at 32 Persiaran Ampang, 55000 Kuala Lumpur, Tel: 03-4256 5410. It's closed every Tuesday. Ma Maison feels like one of the cosy places you can still find in Europe.

Eva Longoria to open ladies’ steakhouse Posted: 31 Aug 2012 04:28 PM PDT Longoria is interviewed at Variety's 3rd Annual Power of Women luncheon in Beverly Hills, California September 23, 2011. — Reuters pic LAS VEGAS, Sept 1 — Actress Eva Longoria has shuttered her Las Vegas restaurant Beso and Eve Nightclub with plans to re-open the space as an eatery for the ladies, complete with catwalk, 3D projection mapping, cryogenic fog and rain curtains. According to local website Vegas Seven, the new space called She is set to throw open its doors for a major New Year's Eve launch party and is pitching itself as a dining destination to see and be seen at. Design elements, for instance, include tiered seating around a central dance floor and an outdoor patio that will be twice as large as that of Beso. According to popular food blog Eater Vegas, the eatery will also be themed after the 1920s, while the former Eve Nightclub will include theatrical elements à la Crazy Horse Paris and Cirque du Soleil, with sexy female performers. The menu will be developed by chef Todd Mark Miller and will involve an assortment of "modern boutique steak house" dishes and small bites to appeal to the ladies, reports Vegas Seven. Interestingly, Miller is also the executive chef of STK Las Vegas Steakhouse at the Cosmopolitan which is also pitched as a dining destination for the ladies, described as offering a "flirty, feminine take on the American steakhouse."  The eatery, located at the Crystals area in CityCenter, a 46,452-square metre shopping and dining complex, will be co-run by restaurateur Landry's, which counts Morton's The Steakhouse and Rainforest Café among its 40 brands. — AFP/Relaxnews

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Study: Physical activity strongest predictor of survival in old age Posted: 31 Aug 2012 08:26 AM PDT STOCKHOLM, Aug 31 — In yet another study to underscore the importance of exercise in healthy aging, researchers have found that keeping physically fit can add up to six years to a person's lifespan, making physical exercise the strongest predictor of survival. For the study, researchers from the Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University kept track of 1,800 Swedes aged 75 and older for 18 years, between 1987 and 2005. In the follow-up period, 92 per cent of the participants died, while half of them lived longer than the age of 90. After analysing everything from their education, social network and lifestyle behaviour, the researchers concluded that of all the leisure activities, the level of physical activity was most strongly associated with survival. Results were published in the British Medical Journal yesterday. Overall, the average rate of survival among participants who regularly swam, walked or did aerobics and had a moderate to rich social life was 5.4 years longer than those who led sedentary, solitary lives. That figure rose to six years for men. Survivors were also more likely to be women, highly educated and non-smokers. Meanwhile, a study suggested that growing old gracefully starts in young adulthood, after US researchers found that maintaining a healthy lifestyle during a person's 20s can help lower the risk of heart disease in middle age. — AFP-Relaxnews

Midwives, nurses can safely perform abortions Posted: 31 Aug 2012 07:39 AM PDT Having trained nurses and midwives perform abortions could also allow some women to get care before they would be able to see a doctor. — Reuters pic NEW YORK, Aug 31 — Abortions are just as safe when performed by trained nurse practitioners, midwives and physician assistants as when doctors do them, a new review of the evidence suggests. Researchers analysed five studies that compared first-trimester abortion complications and side effects based on who performed the procedures in close to 9,000 women — and typically found no differences. "As access to abortion is increasingly restricted, the including of non-physicians in the pool of providers is really vital because fewer and fewer people will have access as there are more and more barriers," said Amy Levi, a professor of midwifery at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Having trained nurses and midwives perform abortions could also allow some women to get care before they would be able to see a doctor — and earlier access typically means fewer complications and better outcomes, Levi said. That's especially the case in developing countries, where doctors who perform abortions may be few and far between. In studies conducted in clinics and hospitals in Asia, Africa and the United States, procedures supervised by nurses or midwives and doctors had similar rates of incomplete abortion, incorrect determination of the foetus' age and complications — such as bleeding and injuries to the uterus. For example, in one study of about 1,400 women getting an abortion in Vermont or New Hampshire, there were complications in 2.2 per cent of procedures with a physician assistant and 2.3 per cent with a doctor. Nathalie Kapp from the World Health Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland, and her colleagues said the findings don't apply to nurses and midwives who perform abortions without access to emergency care nearby, or to abortions done after the first trimester. They published their findings in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. According to the Guttmacher Institute, a sexual and reproductive health organisation, 39 states require abortions to be performed by a licensed physician. And Levi, who was not involved in the new study, said only a few allow non-physicians to perform abortions both surgically and medically (with drugs). But the findings are "really powerful" in other parts of the world, where unsafe abortion is one of the leading causes of maternal death and non-physician providers far outnumber doctors, said Levi, who wasn't involved in the new study. They are also consistent with her expectations after working for a California-based programme that trains nurse practitioners, midwives and physician assistants to perform abortions safely. "Access to safe abortion is imperative for reducing maternal mortality worldwide," Levi said. "We need to keep the conversation embedded in women's health care, which is where it belongs, and I think this kind of data will help." — Reuters

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Mother of US morning TV host Robin Roberts dies Posted: 31 Aug 2012 08:36 AM PDT ABC newswoman Robin Roberts with fellow cast member Josh Elliott on her final appearance on ABC's 'Good Morning America' yesterday before taking medical leave. — Reuters pic NEW YORK, Aug 31 — US morning television host Robin Roberts was mourning the death of her mother today, just a day after she left the "Good Morning America" show to prepare for a bone marrow transplant to treat a rare blood disorder. Roberts left the ABC news programme yesterday, a day earlier than scheduled, to see her ailing 88-year-old mother, Lucimarian Tolliver Roberts, in Mississippi. Jeffrey W. Schneider, senior vice-president of ABC News, said Lucimarian died last night. "Robin did make it to say goodbye," her co-host George Stephanopoulos told viewers on today's show. Lucimarian Roberts was the first African-American to head Mississippi's board of education, according to ABC. Roberts, who is expected to be off the air for several months, revealed in June that she had been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome — a disorder triggered by her treatment for breast cancer five years ago. Her older sister, Sally-Ann, will be the bone marrow donor. — Reuters

Spike Lee brings ‘Bad’ magic to big screen Posted: 31 Aug 2012 08:12 AM PDT Spike Lee poses during the photocall for the movie "Bad 25" at the 69th Venice Film Festival August 31, 2012. — Reuters pic VENICE, Aug 31 — Spike Lee's film about the making of Michael Jackson's 1987 album "Bad" may border on hagiography at times, but live footage and the singer's attention to detail when at the peak of his powers are a reminder of why he remains the "King of Pop". The two-hour documentary called "Bad 25", which has its world premiere at the Venice film festival today, is a familiar mix of talking heads — choreographers, producers and stars — and film of concerts, rehearsals and music videos. Released to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Jackson's acclaimed follow-up to "Thriller", Lee provides few surprises for Jackson aficionados, but paints a picture of a genius at work who cared about every step of the production process. "I think that it was too many years we've... concentrated on stuff about Michael Jackson that had nothing to do with the music," said Lee, 25 years to the day after Bad hit the shelves. The documentary, which Lee called his "love letter" to Jackson, has the backing both of the singer's estate and his record label, giving Lee access to many of the key players in the making of what is regarded as a milestone album. "It was a chance to really dig into his creative process," he added. "We all are blessed with the final work, but it's rare that you get to see how something is put together. We just see the final product. "We don't see the blood, sweat and tears, all the work that goes into how the masters work." Among the novelties is footage taken by Jackson himself, using a handheld camera, of Siedah Garrett singing "Man in the Mirror", the song she co-wrote for the star, a cappella save for an off-camera clicking of fingers laying down the beat. There are also small yet enlightening insights and hints as to Jackson's true character, be it his interest in women, competitive spirit, professional drive or obsession over the smallest riff and dance step. Garrett, for example, recalls how Jackson playfully threw popcorn at her as she tried to record "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", earning her, but not Jackson, a sharp rebuke from the onlooking producer Quincy Jones. Not of this world Sheryl Crow said she was often asked whether Jackson became aroused when they performed a raunchy rendition of the song on his record-breaking "Bad" tour. She did not provide an answer. Actress Tatiana Thumbtzen speculated that mint on the singer's breath suggested he may have been prepared for a kiss at the end of the "The Way You Make Me Feel" video, despite strict instructions only to embrace the singer. Lawyer John Branca, who administers Jackson's estate following his death aged 50 in 2009, recalled a meeting Jackson arranged with his arch-rival Prince. "It was not a happy meeting," he said, adding Prince had brought along a "voodoo box" which Jackson feared meant he was trying to cast a spell on him. That rivalry was part of a competitive streak in Jackson that drove him to try to top the sensational success of his 1982 album "Thriller", still the best-selling album of all time, with "Bad" five years later. He even scrawled "100,000,000" on his mirror to remind him of his target. While industry estimates vary widely, "Thriller" is estimated to have sold between 60-110 million copies worldwide, while "Bad" went on to sell 30-45 million. Nothing, it seemed, was too trivial. In one sequence, Jackson comically re-enacts exactly how he wants two animated characters who feature in a commercial to behave. On a more serious level, Lee explores how Jackson's Afro-American roots were important to him, despite his gradually transforming facial features that made him appear more Caucasian. Several interviewees could not contain their tears as they remembered when they heard of Jackson's passing, and several voiced their conviction at the time that it was not true. Crow was among those who struggled to explain Jackson's talent. "The molecules changed in the room. He changed the molecules," she said of his presence. Near the end of "Bad 25", there is a memorable live performance of "Man in the Mirror", after which Jackson holds his hands aloft to form the shape of a cross. "Michael's not here to answer that. I cannot say he's trying to be Jesus Christ," Lee said in answer to a reporter's question. "I'm not going to say that Michael was saying he was Jesus Christ, but you look at that performance — he's somewhere else. "That's one of the greatest performances ever. You see the way Michael's singing that song, he is not of this world." — Reuters

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Pentagon threatens legal action over bin Laden book Posted: 30 Aug 2012 07:50 PM PDT The cover of "No Easy Day", an account of the capture of Osama Bin Laden, is shown in this publicity image released to Reuters August 30, 2012. — Reuters pic WASHINGTON, Aug 31 — The Pentagon warned yesterday that it was considering legal action against a former US Navy SEAL for material breach of non-disclosure agreements with his first-hand account of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. In a letter obtained by Reuters, and subsequently released by the Pentagon, the Pentagon's top attorney said the Department of Defense was also considering legal action against anyone "acting in concert" with the author. It hinted that the book's royalties might be subject to government claims. The letter, addressed to "Mark Owen," the pseudonym under which the book was written, identified two separate non-disclosure agreements he signed with the Navy that legally committed him to never divulge classified information, which is a crime. "You are in material breach and violation of the non-disclosure agreements you signed," said the letter by Jeh Johnson, the Pentagon's General Counsel. "The Department of Defense is considering pursuing against you, and all those acting in concert with you, all remedies legally available to us in light of this situation." The author may have hoped to publish the book anonymously but his identity as Matt Bissonnette was quickly revealed and confirmed independently by Reuters. It was unclear how many others the Pentagon may consider legally culpable, given the broad language in Johnson's letter. A spokeswoman at publisher Dutton, which is an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Not vetted US officials have said they were surprised by his book, "No Easy Day," which was not vetted by government agencies before its publication to ensure that no secrets were revealed. The letter noted that, under the terms of the non-disclosure agreements, the author had agreed to submit any manuscript for pre-publication security review and to obtain permission before publishing it. The Pentagon pointed out that the disclosure of classified information was a crime and suggested that, under the terms of the non-disclosure agreement he signed, the US government could be entitled to all "royalties, remunerations, and emoluments" from such a disclosure. The letter did not say what classified information the book revealed but the book says an unarmed bin Laden was looking out from his bedroom door when he was shot in the head during the May 2011 raid on his hide-out in Pakistan. The book has received widespread media coverage and the Pentagon letter noted that some copies have already been released, ahead of the book's formal release next week. "Further public dissemination of your book will aggravate your breach and violation of your agreements," the letter warned. Earlier this week, the author said in a statement from his publisher that the book was written "with respect for my fellow service members while adhering to my strict desire not to disclose confidential or sensitive information that would compromise national security in any way." But many in the special operations community have privately expressed disappointment in recent days over the book and the publicity it has received. The author now faces threats against his life. An official al Qaeda website last week posted a photograph and the real name of the former Navy commando, calling him "the dog who murdered the martyr Sheikh Osama bin Laden." — Reuters

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53 bayi merdeka lahir di Lembah Kelang sehingga tengah hari ini Posted: 31 Aug 2012 02:32 AM PDT KUALA LUMPUR, 31 Ogos — Seramai 53 bayi merdeka — 24 perempuan dan 29 lelaki — dilahirkan di lapan hospital kerajaan dan swasta di sekitar Lembah Klang bermula selepas detik 12 tengah malam tadi hingga tengah hari ini. Bayi merdeka pertama ialah bayi lelaki yang dilahirkan sebaik selepas detik 12 tengah malam tadi. Bayi lelaki seberat 3.2 kilogram itu dilahirkan di Hospital Kajang dan bayi itu adalah antara enam kelahiran yang direkod di hospital berkenaan, termasuk sepasang bayi kembar perempuan, kata jurucakap hospital itu. Hospital Sungai Buloh pula mencatat kelahiran paling tinggi iaitu 13 bayi dengan kelahiran pertama, seorang bayi lelaki pada 12.14 pagi, kata jurucakap hospital itu. Di Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya (PPUM) pula, seramai lapan bayi dilahirkan sehingga 9.02 pagi ini dengan bayi pertama seberat 2.73 kg dilahirkan pada 12.20 pagi. Hospital Serdang dan Pusat Perubatan Subang Jaya (SJMC) masing-masing mencatat tujuh kelahiran dengan bayi pertama masing-masing dilahirkan pada 1.02 pagi dan 12.55 pagi. Hospital Kuala Lumpur mencatat kelahiran lima bayi dengan seorang daripadanya rakyat Indonesia seberat 4.25 kg yang dilahir pada 4.11 pagi, manakala Hospital Tawakal merekodkan kelahiran dua bayi lelaki. Di Hospital Pantai Kuala Lumpur pula, lima kelahiran direkod termasuk seorang bayi lelaki rakyat Perancis, kata jurucakap hospital itu. Daripada 53 bayi yang dilahirkan itu, 18 kelahiran adalah melalui pembedahan iaitu masing-masing satu di PPUM dan HKL, Hospital Tawakal Kuala Lumpur (dua), Hospital Sungai Buloh dan Hospital Pantai Kuala Lumpur (tiga) dan masing-masing empat di Hospital Serdang dan SJMC. Di KUALA TERENGGANU, 28 bayi dilahirkan di beberapa hospital di negeri itu sehingga 12 tengah hari iaitu 12 bayi dilahirkan di Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah (HSNZ) dengan kelahiran pertama ialah pada 12.14 pagi. Di GEORGE TOWN, seramai tiga bayi dilahirkan di Hospital Pulau Pinang termasuk dua bayi rakyat Indonesia. Di SEREMBAN, seramai 17 bayi merdeka dilahirkan di hospital kerajaan di negeri ini bermula tengah malam sehingga 12 tengah hari, kata Pengarah Jabatan Kesihatan negeri Datuk Dr Zailan Adnan. — Bernama

Merdeka Othman harap generasi muda hargai nikmat kebebasan Posted: 31 Aug 2012 02:04 AM PDT Anak-anak muda bersemangat menyanyikan lagu patriotik semasa sambutan sempena Hari Kebangsaan ke-55 di Dataran Merdeka pagi tadi. — Gambar Reuters KANGAR, 31 Ogos — Dilahirkan 15 minit selepas bendera Union Jack diturunkan 55 tahun lalu tidak 'membutakan' mata Merdeka Othman terhadap kesengsaraan yang dilalui generasi yang hidup pada zaman penjajahan. Sebaliknya kata lelaki itu, beliau diingatkan mengenai perkara tersebut setiap kali namanya dipanggil. Justeru, saya berharap generasi muda sentiasa menghargai nikmat kemerdekaan dan tidak mengambil risiko sehingga mengundang semula penjajah ke negara ini, katanya ketika ditemui bernama, di Beseri dekat sini hari ini. Merdeka yang berbangga meraikan ulang tahun kelahirannya bersama sambutan Hari Kemerdekaan negara, berkata nama beliau itu menyebabkannya diejek ketika zaman kanak-kanak. Memang masa kanak-kanak dahulu cukup janggal kerana diejek, namun kini saya berbangga, katanya yang sering diundang ke majlis sambutan hari kemerdekaan baik peringkat negeri mahupun kebangsaaan setiap kali tiba tanggal 31 Ogos. Merdeka yang bertugas sebagai pembantu perawat pergigian di Klinik Kesihatan Beseri berkata jika negara tidak aman, beliau sudah pasti tidak berpeluang untuk menghadiri majlis yang berkaitan dengan kemerdekaan negara. Sehubungan itu, beliau berharap setiap rakyat Malaysia menanam semangat jati diri terhadap negara dan berjihad ke arah memastikan negara terus merdeka daripada sebarang bentuk penjajahan yang merugikan. Merdeka berkata pemimpin terdahulu telah meletakkan asas perpaduan yang kukuh untuk membawa negara mencapai kemerdekaan dan asas itu tidak boleh dirobekkan dengan mainan politik sempit. "Saya bersyukur dengan kemakmuran dan keamanan negara sebagaimana saya bersyukur memiliki nama Merdeka," katanya. Katanya, beliau sentiasa berdoa kemamuran dan keamanan terus berkekalan dan rakyat tidak terhimpit dengan perbuatan yang boleh merosakkan negara. — Bernama

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‘Merdeka’ from fear Posted: 30 Aug 2012 05:52 PM PDT AUG 31 — Reading the news — especially the recent court ruling on the two statutory rape cases where the rapists were freed — I couldn't help but feel worried for my students. In this day and age where it is not as easy to monitor their social connections, you never know whether your children are safe or not, be in or out of your home.   Not only that, the recent child kidnapping cases have also been worrying. Despite telling children how they should be careful and always be vigilant of their surroundings, we cannot assume that this is enough and that they will be okay. Their innocence and naiveté mean anyone with ill-intentions can just take advantage of them and do whatever they like with the children.   Things used to be a lot different. My childhood was pretty carefree. I remember spending a lot of time outside, playing with my friends without any supervision from my parents. My friends and I would go to the padi fields and play for hours, despite being told not to because "nanti kena patuk ular!"  We would ride our bicycles all over town and never had to worry about being kidnapped. I used to cycle to school, leaving home as early as 6.30am to make sure I got there on time and not be fined by the stern prefects in their blue "tudung".   The only thing I had to worry about was getting home before Maghrib prayers so my father wouldn't cane me, and, of course, keeping my grades up.   Those were the days.   Now my nephews play in their gated homes, often under the watchful eyes of their parents or at least an adult. Kids can no longer go anywhere without fearing they would be snatched away from the familiarity and comfort of their homes.  Parents worry incessantly about their children's safety, day and night. Even a trip out with the family can turn into a nightmare when they end up being victims of car-jackings or snatch thefts. What is happening to our country? Are we becoming so lawless with such incidents happening in broad daylight in the view of many people and yet no one can stop them from happening?   The people who are committing these crimes, I don't know for sure whether they are locals or foreigners. Whoever it is, I just hope they will be caught and punished for the heinous crimes they've committed, and for robbing us of our sense of security.   I am of course not happy with how the authorities are responding to these worrying situations.  Saying that crime statistics are exaggerated by social media is not going to build the public's confidence in them! The public is already scared, so why add onto that fear? Worse still, it sounded like the authorities are pooh-poohing the public's fear, as if we are being so silly for being worried about such crimes.   A friend once shared how while she was driving, two men on a motorcycle smashed her car window and grabbed her handbag which was on the front seat. Upon reporting the incident, she had one unsympathetic policeman telling her that she "brought it on herself by not hiding the handbag." Really?!  Yes, I understand, we should take precautions and not take our safety for granted but I do not want to live feeling like this is Gotham, never knowing when trouble will strike and I could end up hurt or, worse, dead. At least Gotham is lucky — they have a multi-billionaire who would fight to protect the city and its people. But us, who do we have? Most of our politicians (bar a few) are more interested in keeping and accumulating more wealth and only care for themselves. Where does that leave us, the everyday Malaysians?  There are so many incidents which mar my belief in the ability of the government to keep us safe. For example, that poor woman in Kelantan who was just getting out of her car to go to a '"tudung" shop but ended up having her arm almost severed in a snatch theft last Wednesday. Surely you're not going to say she brought it on herself too? How? For wanting to buy a "tudung"?  As a Malaysian, I don't think I am asking too much when I say I want to be able to safely walk the streets without worrying that my arm will be chopped off should some crazy, desperate guy decide to swing a machete at me so he can get hold of my handbag. So for Merdeka, all I want is to be "merdeka" from these fears, of feeling like I cannot go anywhere without worrying that I might get harmed or, worse, killed. I want the police to be "merdeka" from having to worry about whose foot they will step on when they take certain actions. I want our government to be "merdeka" of corruption. I want our children to have a better Malaysia and "merdeka" from all the hang-ups that we currently have.   May our country be "merdeka" of such heinous crimes and may we live and prosper in peace for many years to come.   Selamat Hari Merdeka daripada Cikgu Tasneem! * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

My top 10 reasons for celebrating National Day Posted: 30 Aug 2012 05:45 PM PDT AUG 31 — I haven't come up with a top 10 list in a long time. And seeing that it's National Day, I thought it would be apt to do just that this week! (It could also mean that I'm already in the long weekend mode and am just too lazy to write something lengthy!) So here's my top 10 for why I am happy to celebrate this National Day: 1. Aside from a bloody lip from having my camera pushed into my face by a policeman, I escaped physically unscathed from Bersih 3.0. But I can't say much for my mental state after the event. 2. I now have full confidence in the strength of our police force. They are a really tough group and know how to fight! 3. After being eligible 13 years ago and witnessing three general elections in the country, I have finally registered to vote. 4. Malaysia looks set to join some of the best countries in Asia… as a destination for paedophile sex tourism. Malaysia Truly Asia! 5. Crime doesn't exist in Malaysia. This must be due to the toughness of our police force. 6. If he sounds like a Malay, thinks like a Malay, and converts to Islam, he is Malay… even if he is Chinese. 7. Janji Dicapati 8. Everyone is guilty until proven innocent (as far as the Internet is concerned). 9. Sarawak women are awesome world-class divers! 10. All sorts of Malaysians gathered at Dataran Merdeka on the eve of National Day to demonstrate for democracy and clean elections without any untoward incidents. Everyone dispersed peacefully afterwards. Happy National Day, everyone! * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

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Bahn Mi: No ordinary sandwich Posted: 30 Aug 2012 07:27 PM PDT Vietnamese chopped pork sandwich Bahn Mi. KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 — It wasn't really love at first sight... more of love at first bite. Hurrying down the crowded street of Chinatown in Perth, I was desperate to find something quick that would pacify the rumbles of my empty tummy. I spotted people emerging with sandwiches of some sort from a Vietnamese stall, and I proceeded to order "one of those". One bite was all it took to stop me dead in my tracks. Banh Mi, as I found out later, is a mouth-watering Vietnamese-meets-French sandwich, a product of the influence of the French colonisation of Vietnam. It consists of julienned pickled carrots and radish, flavourful minced pork, chillies, Dijon mustard and fried egg, garnished with a few sprigs of fresh coriander and slices of chilly, all of these sandwiched between a light, airy Vietnamese baguette which has been halved, hollowed and slathered generously with thick, mayonnaise. This light Vietnamese baguette is slightly crisp and crusty on the outside and delicately soft on the inside. The pickled carrots and radish gives the sandwich a gratifying crunch and an exotic taste, whereas the mayonnaise gives it a richness that settles deep within your taste buds. The coriander provides a refreshing herby flavour that beautifully complements the other ingredients, and it succeeds in enhancing the meaty flavour of the minced pork. According to the older folks who lived way back when the French were still in Vietnam, only the rich French who were missing the taste of home could afford this sandwich originally stuffed with pate and other imported ingredients. Once the French left, the Vietnamese went on to give it a cheaper and more appetizing makeover, introducing pickled vegetables and infusing them with authentic Vietnamese flavours such as fish sauce. The result? Paradise at first bite! This sandwich is not only simple to prepare, it is also a delight to your tummy. The numerous fillings makes it a perfect replacement for a hearty meal, guaranteed to make you sigh with pleasure. Bahn Mi, anyone? Bahn Mi Prep time: 10 minutes + 1 hour (for pickling shredded vegetables) Cooking time: 10 minutes Serves 4 1 large baguette, slightly toasted and almost sliced into halves 500g pork belly, roughly chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon palm sugar 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce 1 tablespoon vegetable oil A dash of black pepper 1 chilli, seeds removed and thinly sliced 2 eggs, fried Dijon mustard, to be spread on the baguette Handful of coriander/cilantro, roughly torn apart For pickled carrots and daikon, 1 carrot, coarsely grated 1/4 daikon, coarsely grated 1/4 cup vinegar 3 tablespoons sugar     1. For the pickled carrots and daikon, mix carrots, daikon, vinegar and sugar in a clean bowl. Marinade mixture for about an hour. Strain carrots and daikon, and set it aside. 2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan over high heat. 3. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. 4. Add minced pork, dark soy sauce, palm sugar, fish sauce and pepper in a pan and fry until pork soaks up the sauce. 5. To assemble, spread Dijon mustard on baguette. Layer with half a fried egg, followed by chopped pork, pickled carrots and daikon, chillies and lastly coriander. 6. Repeat for 2nd, 3rd and 4th Banh Mi. 7. Eat with your hands. For more recipes, go to www.chopstickdiner.com

Dip into chocolatey goodness Posted: 30 Aug 2012 07:13 PM PDT dip 'n dip originates from Syria and it offers a wide selection of chocolate drinks and desserts. – Pictures by Lydia Koh KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 — Chocolate, coffee and good conversation — nothing beats this kick-ass combination when it comes to destressing. So if you are a chocoholic, you should check out the newly-opened dip 'n dip cafe in Bangsar. Located on Jalan Telawi 3, right next to Cziplee Books & Stationery, is this warm, inviting chocolate dessert place that originates from Syria. You will notice that the chocolatiers are mostly Middle Eastern and they are a friendly bunch. It was the soft launch of dip 'n dip that day when my friends and I dropped in around 9pm. Earlier that day, the waitress told me to come by because they were offering free treats with every order. Each treat was a surprise, she said. What an irresistible idea! Immediately, I made plans to head over to dip 'n dip after dinner. I thought a chocolate affair would be a good way to end the night. Little did I know that it was going to be a chocolate indulgence I'll never forget. What's your flavour? Unsure of what to order, we asked the waitress to recommend. The Fettuccine Crepe caught our attention, looking at the photo in the menu, it looked like pasta drizzled with milk chocolate and white chocolate sauce topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. We ordered the "small" portion but when it arrived minutes later, it was as large as a pizza for four people! Fettuccine Crepe is a delightfully sinful treat. After Eight Hot Chocolate is a must-have for chocolate mint lovers. The crepe was cut into fettuccine-like shapes so it looked like you're having pasta. Once the dish is served, a chocolatier will come with either milk chocolate, dark chocolate or white chocolate and drizzle the oozey, gooey chocolate onto the "pasta" — his hands high up in the air and the chocolate flowing down like a stream. We dig in, enjoying the taste and texture of this unusual dessert. I tend to overindulge so up next was the After Eight Hot Chocolate. The others ordered Earl Grey tea and White Belgian Hot Chocolate, safe choices if you are going to have chocolate anyway. I loved the mint flavour of my After Eight Hot Chocolate and although it was chocolate overdose, I loved every bit of it because I'm a fan of Max Brenner's, a chocolate chain from Australia. dip 'n dip reminds me of Max Brenner because everything on the menu has chocolate in it and it was equally good. While chatting and eating, the chocolatier came with our first surprise, a Waffle Stick dipped in milk chocolate. It was really yummy but after awhile, we found it to be rather sweet. Delectable and luxurious, you must not miss out on the Chocolate Mousse! My friend asked me to try a bit of the White Belgian Hot Chocolate. All I tasted was milk but it was alright. I thought it would have more of a white chocolate flavour but it was really milky. Just when we thought we had filled our chocolate quota for the day, another surprise came in the form of the Chocolate Mousse. I think I would definitely come back here for more of this rich and creamy dessert next time. If you asked me which were my favourites, I would say the Fettuccine Crepe and the Chocolate Mousse. "I think I ate enough chocolate to last me a year," said my friend, patting her belly. "I'm going to go home to do sit-ups. Imagine how many calories we've consumed in this single seating!" another one said. I just smiled, knowing that I will definitely come back even if I did exceed my chocolate quota (and calories) for the year.

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The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz

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‘Great Expectations’ rounds off London film festival Posted: 30 Aug 2012 04:42 AM PDT LONDON, Aug 30 — An all-star film adaptation of Dickens' classic novel "Great Expectations" will round off the London film festival this year, marking the 200th anniversary of the author's birth, organisers said today. Starring Ralph Fiennes as Magwitch and Helena Bonham Carter as Miss Havisham, the film will have Jeremy Irvine playing Pip, an orphan who is catapulted out of poverty and transformed into a gentleman by a mysterious benefactor. The film, directed by Mike Newell and scripted by "One Day" author David Nicholls, will make its European premiere at the festival on October 21, before hitting British cinemas on November 30. Both Fiennes and Bonham Carter, whose partner Tim Burton will kick off the festival with his animated film "Frankenweenie", are expected to attend. "I'm proud that our new version of 'Great Expectations' should be presented this year, the bicentenary of Dickens' birth," said Newell, who directed "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". "I've tried to make a film that is true to the theatrical vividness, energetic characters and high colour that he is loved for, while mining the deep seams of emotional cruelty and madness that underlie one of Dickens' darkest-shadowed stories," Newell said. This year's British Film Institute (BFI) London film festival runs from October 10-21, and the full lineup will be announced on September 5. — Reuters

French pianist admires Debussy as ‘hedonist’ of sound Posted: 30 Aug 2012 04:05 AM PDT LONDON, Aug 30 — Pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard describes Claude Debussy as a "hedonist" of sound, and perhaps that's what makes both of them so French. "I know that if I use these words in this country, or in Germany, this would be interpreted in another way," the voluble 54-year-old titan of the modern piano repertoire, as well as the classics, told Reuters over coffee at a London hotel. "In France, not at all," he said, adding that Debussy was admired and appreciated for his "deep intensity, soft sensuality and incredible precision". Aimard chose his words carefully during an interview while on a visit to pick out a piano for a BBC Proms recital on September 3 in which he will play the second book of the late-19th, early 20th-century composer's famous preludes. The second book contains some of Debussy's most popular works, such as "La Cathedrale Engloutie" (The Submerged Cathedral), which the Japanese composer Isao Tomita turned into a 1970s hit in an arrangement for Moog synthesizer. Aimard has recorded both books but the second is the gnarlier of the two, which is perhaps why Aimard — who loves nothing more than to tackle a fiendishly difficult etude by his one-time close friend, the late Hungarian composer Gyorgy Ligeti — will play it at Cadogan Hall. "Why No. 2? Because of the development of everything in the second book, how it stretches in terms of harmonies, space, ambiguity," he said. "Debussy was one of the three big modernist composers, with Stravinsky and Schoenberg, but without making a revolution, almost discreetly. You could say he's deep, but in a tradition of hedonism in music. "He adored food, women and he adored music, and when you hear his music you hear sounds that are incredibly well put together and highly inspiring." Aesthetics, or what he calls "the pleasure of sounds", mean a lot to Aimard, who said that next year he was going to be taking a sabbatical. "I will make a tour, playing Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms ... and the sabbatical is afterwards. So you will not meet, you will not hear from me." It is not unusual for someone with a demanding schedule, like Aimard, who also is the artistic director of the Aldeburgh festival founded by the composer Benjamin Britten in the seaside town in Suffolk, England, to take time out, but he has more on his plate than most. Aimard thinks a lot about programming, interpretation, the future of music, and the future of the performing tradition. "I try to learn something every day and if I don't I feel very unhappy," he said. He spent, by his own reckoning, 15 years working with Ligeti, in effect as a collaborator, on the set of piano etudes, a piano concerto and other piano works that increasingly are recognised as among the great works for the instrument from the latter half of the 20th century. Repository of tradition Since Ligeti's death in 2006, Aimard is the repository of the playing and performance tradition of those works. "What was important was for the interpreter to be the witness for the creator, so there will be a memory, otherwise when we forget, that's bad." He hopes that one way or another the tradition can rub off on the younger generation of pianists, who as they come out of conservatories are technical wizards, who have no trouble tackling the toughest that Ligeti, or any other composer, has to offer, but perhaps, Aimard said, lacks artistic depth. "I think that a lot of people think that the technical level of young piano players is often very high but a lot of people are not sure that the artistic level is as high as one would wish," he said. "The question is to know what society wishes to have: I think that society needs to have people with ability but we need especially good cultural education, that is the priority for our society." — Reuters

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Eco-commune flourishes as Greek economy withers Posted: 30 Aug 2012 08:46 AM PDT A group of Greeks have quit their jobs in Athens to set up a self-sufficient commune that lives in yurts and grows its own vegetables. – Reuters pic AGHIOS, Aug 30 – Web designer Apostolos Sianos and three friends startled Greek villagers when they quit well-paid jobs in Athens to set up a self-sufficient commune that lives in yurts and grows its own vegetables. In California, or Scandinavia, such a move might have gone unnoticed. But in deeply conservative rural Greece – where green thinking is strictly the domain of urbanites – the project made suspicious locals uneasy, or was laughed off as ridiculous. But now, two years and a brutal economic crisis later, Sianos and his friends are the ones laughing. With Greece's economy in freefall, nearly one in four out of work and the desperate jobless turning to the land to survive, the group's focus on growing their own produce and cutting down their reliance on money and a bankrupt state suddenly make practical sense to many Greeks – and some are now turning to the vegan commune for advice. "Even two years ago, everyone thought we were crazy. But not any more," says Panos Kantas, 29, a pony-tailed former computer programmer who co-founded the Mount Telethrion Project with Sianos and two others. "The crisis validated a point that was obvious to us and now it's obvious to everyone." They had a rocky start in 2010, when the former city-dwellers struggled to gather firewood to keep warm in winter and found sceptical villagers asking, in all seriousness, if they were transmitting signals into outer space. But the commune now has about 15 to 20 enthusiasts living there at any time. As Greece's crisis has deepened over the past year, dozens more have inquired about moving to the commune – perched on a hilly slope on the island of Evia, or Euboea, and looking out to sea, near the village of Aghios. More than 2,500 curious visitors have stopped by, the commune's founders reckon. In particular, the workshop training sessions they offer on organic farming and building houses with a traditional adobe mix of clay, sand and straw – cheaper than bricks and mortar – have drawn interest from crisis-hit Greeks escaping a dire job market to return to tending land in their villages. "People come asking, 'How do you get started on cultivating land? What are the first steps for sustainable farming? How can you manage without a pay cheque?'" said Sianos, 32, as he sat at a table recycled from an abandoned wooden cable drum. A few feet away, a dozen young Greeks squatted on the floor of the commune's workshop area to pit yellow plums they had gathered from the nearby forest while others laid out slices of tomatoes grown in their garden to dry under the sun. About 80 per cent of the food – all vegan – consumed in the commune is produced in the garden, Sianos says, and the group tries to get the rest by bartering produce with villagers; the residents can offer their sun-dried tomatoes and a vegan chocolate substitute made from carob, tahini and hazelnuts. The commune's lofty ambitions of cutting money out of the equation altogether still have a long way to go – cash is still needed for electricity and for a new domed structure being built on land nearby as part of plans to expand. But the group tries to rely on as little cash as possible. The housing in yurts – large, round canvas tents modelled on those of Central Asian nomads – was chosen after it turned out to be the only structure they could put up without having to apply for a costly permit from state planning authorities. Other necessities like toothpaste – using baking soda, white clay and peppermint – and soap are made at the workshop. NO LAUGHING MATTER The commune is one of several ecological initiatives that have benefited as the debt crisis forces Greeks to rethink their way of life – especially the big-spending, consumerist urban lifestyle partly blamed for bringing Greece to the brink. "As a general trend, the crisis for several people was an opportunity to change the way they think and try to be organised in a different way," said Theocharis Tsoutsos, professor at the Technical University of Crete who has studied sustainable energy projects. "For instance, doing things on a smaller scale, creating their own garden, or trying to promote ecological issues on a small scale, or promoting low-cost agricultural initiatives." Greenpeace says the crisis has seen environmental policies popularised by former prime minister George Papandreou – a keen cyclist and believer in "green growth" – pushed off the political agenda. But niche initiatives like the project on Evia are thriving as Greeks to return to their rural roots, it says. The commune would have found few willing takers among Greeks riding high on an economic boom a decade ago, said the lobby group's Greek campaigns coordinator Dimitris Ibrahim. "People then were more interested in their welfare, making money, the stock market. These people would have been laughed at – Greek society was not ready to hear this kind of message," he said, adding that other, less developed eco-communes have also sprung up in Greece in recent years. "Now it's really relevant. It goes to the core – every Greek knows someone who is moving to these practices." Showing off his commune's cultivation of mushrooms and compost toilets which use worms to turn waste into cheap natural fertilizer, Sianos marvels at the project's fortunate timing. Raising capital to support the initiative has been a struggle due to the financial crisis, but on the other hand there's no shortage of interest from people eager to leave behind despair in Athens to start afresh on a remote mountain: "Ten years ago we may have easily found the money to build the site," he said. "But no one would have been here to live in it." MOANING AND WHINING For 21-year-old Anna Sofroniou, the laidback vibe and the sense of collective action in the face of a paralysing national crisis pushed her to return to the commune after unsuccessfully hunting for a job as teacher over the past year. "Throughout the crisis, you see people moaning and whining without doing anything," said the recent college graduate. "In Athens, everybody just talks about politics and problems." Instead, at the commune, she found little talk of the crisis and a range of communal chores ranging from foraging for berries and wild herbs to building a wooden shed to fill her time. Yannis Razakias and Maria Eikosipentaki, a couple from Athens who have lived at the commune for three months, stumbled upon the project on the Internet and were similarly drawn to it as an escape from an urban lifestyle beset with anxieties. "The crisis definitely affected us psychologically in our decision. Our clients, our employers, everyone talked about the crisis and how they could get through it," said Eikosipentaki, who quit the hairdresser job she had for 14 years to move here. "In Athens, the only things on our minds were things like how we could make it, how we would get through this or that, how we could find some money to go on a trip." Indeed, Greece's crippling recession seems a world away this summer as night falls and pasta with herbs is cooked for a communal dinner under a large fig tree. Only the chirp of cicadas accompanies chatter. The main topics of dinner table conversation across Greece – the crisis, the reviled foreign bailout keeping the country afloat and the much loathed troika of lenders bankrolling Athens – are absent. The commune still has its challenges, including lingering scepticism and mistrust among some of the local villagers. "They are very suspicious – like, 'What are these long-haired people from Athens doing here?'" said Sianos. "They don't understand what we're trying to do. If you tell them we're an eco-community they look at you like you're an alien." Opinion has softened somewhat, Sianos says, but winning over locals remains harder than convincing crisis-hit Athens natives. In the centre of the village of Aghios, farmers sipping their morning coffee at cafes said they had yet to figure out what the commune was up to its midst and how it got by. "They can't get be getting by without money and with just a small piece of land," scoffed Stathis Raxiotis, a 65-year-old farmer as he nursed a small cup of strong black coffee: "We've been farmers for decades," he said. "We have hundreds of trees, lots of land – and, with the crisis, even we can't get by on farming alone." – Reuters

China’s ‘Eagle Dad’ renews debate on strict parenting Posted: 30 Aug 2012 12:00 AM PDT QINGDAO, Aug 30 — "Tiger mother" became a buzzword last year for tough love and parenting in the United States, but in recent months across the Pacific a Chinese "Eagle Dad" has sparked a new furore with his own brand of discipline. He Liesheng created a storm in February when a video of him making his 4-year-old son run nearly naked in the snow while on holiday in New York went viral on the internet, leading to talk about whether He was teaching toughness or being abusive. Recently he has encountered similar criticism in the media and on China's Twitter-like microblogs for forcing his son to sail a dinghy single-handed. Some said his parenting style risked leaving lasting scars. In 2011, the book "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" by Chinese American Amy Chua similarly prompted furious debate about ultra-strict parenting. Chua has said she meant much of the book to be parody. But He, who comes from Eastern China and has been branded "Eagle Dad" by the Chinese media, has said his extreme parenting is serious and meant to prepare his son for the future. "The big eagle pushes the young eagle off the cliff. As it falls, the little eagle has no choice but to spread its wings, and learns how to fly," He explained, quoting a Chinese proverb. He also brushed off comparisons with Chua. "She educated her children by threatening and scolding them," He said. "I would never do that. I use the environment, like the waves, to do it instead." But Jessica Ho, director of Against Child Abuse in Hong Kong, said the video made her feel uncomfortable. "At his age these activities are not appropriate ... From the clip, it is clear he is very scared," she said. "The father is very achievement-oriented and the psychological well-being of the child may have been overlooked. "The father says he wants to push the boy to his limits and that if the boy is pushed off the cliff, he will fly — but if he hasn't yet grown wings, how can he?" On Sina Weibo, one of China's hugely-popular microblogs, indignation far outweighs support. "This 'Eagle Dad' is clearly mentally unstable after a dark childhood. Poor little Duoduo," wrote MumaoXX. In February, the Eagle Dad's video showed tiny He Yide — known as Duoduo — in his underpants doing push-ups, crying and begging his father to hug him in temperatures well below zero. Now, He is training Duoduo to sail, hoping the rough sea and natural elements of the ocean will strengthen his young son. "I think that after Duoduo has been through around half a year of this kind of training, he should have the ability to sail out into the open sea, with the coach nearby," He said as he watched the small boy tack and jibe with obvious reluctance around a marina in the coastal city of Qingdao. "He is wearing a life-jacket, and he can swim, so although there is still danger, it is greatly reduced." Duoduo was born prematurely at seven months, and suffered from illnesses such jaundice and pneumonia, He said, citing this fragility as a major reason for his strong parenting style. He also is keen to see that Duoduo is not pampered like many only children born under China's one-child policy. But Duoduo is unconvinced. "Sailing is a bit boring," he said with a frown, when prompted by his dad. "It's really slow." He has taken full advantage of his "Eagle Dad" moniker, promoting what he calls "eagle education" and even writing a book, "I am Eagle Dad." Anita Chan, an expert in child education in Hong Kong, said if a if a child does not have the talent and is forced him to do these things, "there will come a day when he will defy and resist". "Even if the child forces himself to do as you say, that would result in a personality that is distorted and extreme." — Reuters

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