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Stir up a plate of Singapore Hokkien Mee! Posted: 21 Sep 2012 09:21 PM PDT Nothing like a delicious plate of Singapore Hokkien Mee. KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 — I'll call it a ritual, if I may. Every time I visit Singapore, I simply HAVE to visit one of the food stalls and have a plate of Singapore Hokkien Mee. Make that a large one, thank you very much.  I've got this craze for Singapore Hokkien Mee... there's something about it that I can't seem to resist. Though I've never really had to, if I were to choose between a spread of gourmet food and a plate of Singapore Hokkien Mee, I have a feeling I'll be choosing the latter! Singapore Hokkien Mee really is stir-fried egg noodles, leafy greens or shredded cabbage and an assortment of seafood in a small amount of gravy made from soy sauce. Not to be confused with the Penang Hokkien Mee, which is made in soup, and the Kuala Lumpur Hokkien Mee, which is slightly darker in colour.  Usually there are huge, succulent prawns, fish cake and squid accompanying the noodles, and their fresh flavours coincide excellently with the raw greenness of the blanched leafy vegetables.  I could go on and on about how the sauce beautifully coats the long strands of the noodles and how the small amounts of fried pork lard added in gives an amazing aromatic boost to the dish, not to mention heighten its flavours to unimaginable levels.  So during my last visit to Singapore, I finally decided to find the recipe for this dish… I mean, I have to have something to combat my cravings when I'm in Malaysia, right? The key method to make this dish a success is to braise it. To do this, the noodles have to be first subjected to high heat in a wok, just to brown them and give them a slightly crisp outer layer.  Stock is then added to them and they are cooked on a low heat in a covered pot until the stock is absorbed and there is a small amount of gravy in the wok. It is very important to ensure that they are braised quickly to avoid having soggy noodles-mush, in other words.  The stock used is also very important as it provides the necessary flavours to make this dish a flavourful one. I use stock made from prawn heads and pork bones for an amazing flavour. One thing to note about egg noodles are they should always be refrigerated upon buying them to ensure they stay fresh. It's best to buy them a few days before they are needed. To serve this dish, you would need a slice of lime and a small amount of spicy, thick sambal. Sambal is a condiment made from chillies that is popular in many Asian countries, especially Indonesia and Malaysia.  The lime gives this dish a tangy twist, while the sambal gives it an extra "oomph" — that spiciness that mingles with the lime juice which perfectly complements this dish. Ooooh, I need a plate of it now! SINGAPORE HOKKIEN MEE Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: approximately 1½ hours (about 1 hour for the stock) Serves 4  Ingredients: 300g pork knuckle and pork belly 300g prawn head and shell, for the stock, peeled and deveined  ½ bulb garlic, peeled ½ medium-size pot water 1 packet Singapore Hokkien noodles 200g Chinese chives 2 whole chicken eggs 2 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 teaspoon sugar Salt and pepper for seasoning  Method  1. For the stock, boil pork knuckle and pork belly in some water for about 15 minutes. Discard the water. Bring ½ pot of clean water to a boil. Add prawn head, shell, pork knuckle, pork belly and garlic. Boil for approximately 1 hour, over low heat until stock is reduced by 2cm. When stock is done, strain into another clean bowl and cut pieces of pork belly into small 1cm strips. Discard the remainder of ingredients. 2. In a heated work, add oil and scramble eggs. 3. Add pork belly and peeled prawns and fry over high heat until prawns are cooked. 4. Add Hokkien noodles, fish sauce and continue frying for further 2-3 minutes over high heat. 5. Add about 3 ladles of stock into the wok and mix ingredients thoroughly. 6. Cover the wok and let the noodles braise in stock for 3 minutes. 7. Once the cover is removed, add chives, salt and pepper to the noodles. 8. Divide noodles into 4 separate plates and serve immediately. For more recipes, please go to www.chopstickdiner.com.

Food agenda: IKA World Culinary Olympics Posted: 21 Sep 2012 08:14 PM PDT LONDON, Sept 22 — Weeks after the athletic Olympics wrapped up in London, the culinary equivalent takes place in Germany, where next month top chefs from around the world will compete to take home bragging rights for their country. Here's a look at the top food events taking place in the next few weeks. IKA World Culinary Olympics 2012. ©IKA IKA World Culinary Olympics October 5-10 Erfurt, Germany Though the title of culinary Olympics is often ascribed to the Bocuse d'Or cook-off that takes place in Lyon, France, that event is biennial. The IKA World Culinary Olympics takes place every four years. In October, chefs from 45 countries will gather in Erfurt, Germany, to go for gold. 14th annual San Sebastian Gastronomika October 7-10 San Sebastian, Spain It's the cradle of high gastronomy in Spain, and for that matter, the world, especially when it comes to avant-garde culinary invention. For four days in October, the area hosts the annual Gastronomika festival, that invites chefs from around the world to showcase the latest in innovative, culinary invention, cooking and food. This year, France is the guest country of honour, and from the early programme announcement, looks to boast a stellar showing, with attendance confirmed by Pierre Gagnaire, Michel Bras, Alain Passard, Anne Sophie-Pic, and Inaki Aizpitarte. 5th annual New York City Food & Wine Festival October 11-14 New York, NY, USA In five short years, this New York City food festival has become a star-studded event, bringing together well-known food celebrities popular with TV audiences. Events vary from food seminars, "grand" tastings, demos and child-friendly sessions. A highlight is Modernist Cuisine author Nathan Myhrvold's "Dinner to End All Dinners" that promises to be heavily influenced by his fondness for molecular, science-based cooking. Tickets for festival events are on sale now. SIAL Paris October 21-25 Paris Billed as the largest food expo in the world, this year's edition of SIAL is expected to attract 140,000 professional visitors from 200 countries, and 6,000 exhibitors from 100 countries. Highlights this year include SIAL Innovation, the most popular observatory that attracts 75 per cent of attendees looking for pioneering and trendsetting products. The SIAL d'Or will also feature the most innovative products in 29 countries that became a commercial success in the past year. 18th annual Salon du Chocolat October 31-November 4 Paris The world's largest event dedicated to cocoa and chocolate returns to Paris, this time under the banner of "The New World". The theme will explore new and emerging consumers such as India, Korea and China as well as new chocolate producers, trends and flavours. The perennial favourite, meanwhile, is the showstopping fashion show in that models strut down the catwalk draped in chocolate dresses and contraptions. About 120,000 visitors are expected over five days. Hong Kong Wine & Dine Month November 1-4 Hong Kong ForbesTraveler.com named the four-day event in Hong Kong one of the top international food and wine festivals in the world in its inaugural year of 2009. As with editions past, the focal point will be The Grand Tasting Pavilion that will feature premium wines, workshops on how to pair desserts with champagne, ice wine and sweet wines, as well as wine and cooking classes. Top chefs from Hong Kong are expected to make an attendance. All this is set against the dramatic skyline. Flavour! Napa Valley November 14-18 Napa Valley, California, USA A food and wine festival in one of the culinary capitals of the US, Flavour! Napa Valley is a star-studded event that features area food celebrities such as Michael Chiarello, Thomas Keller and special guests like Masaharu Morimoto and Scott Conant. Along with culinary demonstrations, the five-day festival is heavy on wine tastings with top sommeliers. Vinexpo Rendez-Vous in New York is cancelled. The consumer wine show was to have run November 16-18 but has been "postponed". — AFP/Relaxnews

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Robson ends Britain’s 22-year wait for WTA finalist Posted: 21 Sep 2012 07:05 AM PDT London, Sept 21 — Teenager Laura Robson scaled new heights when she became Britain's first woman to reach a WTA singles final for 22 years after beating Romania's Sorana Cirstea in Guangzhou. Robson won 6-4 6-2 to set up a final against Chinese Taipei's Su-Wei Hsieh. Jo Durie was the last British woman to reach a main tour final in 1990 at Newport, United States. Sara Gomer was the last British woman to win a WTA singles title, in 1988. Robson (picture) has been tipped for great things since winning the Wimbledon junior singles title as a 14-year-old and this year has begun delivering on her undoubted potential, climbing to 74 in the WTA world rankings. She won a silver medal in mixed doubles with Andy Murray at the London Olympics last month and followed that with two huge scalps at the US Open where she beat former champion Kim Clijsters and former French Open champion Li Na. The London-based 18-year-old also reached the semi-finals in Palermo in July. — Reuters

Suarez and Evra should lay wreaths at Anfield, says Fowler Posted: 21 Sep 2012 06:56 AM PDT Tributes are seen on the gates at Anfield stadium in Liverpool September 12, 2012. — Reuters pic LONDON, Sept 21 — Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler has suggested Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez lay floral tributes to mark the tragedies both clubs have suffered before Sunday's game between his old club and Manchester United at Anfield. The Premier League match is the first between the two fierce rivals since the publication last week of an independent report into the Hillsborough disaster which exonerated Liverpool fans from any blame in the 1989 tragedy that claimed 96 lives. Evra and Suarez were involved in a major controversy last season which resulted in Suarez being banned for eight matches for racially abusing Evra at Anfield last October. Sunday's occasion is likely to be highly emotional with both Manchester United and Liverpool players and managers urging fans throughout the week to show respect to each other. Fowler told BBC Radio 5 Live it would be appropriate for Suarez and Evra to help defuse the tension by showing unity before kickoff. "It would be nice for Luis Suarez to put some flowers at the United end regarding Munich, and for Patrice Evra to do so at the Kop," Fowler said. "The two clubs do have a rivalry, but some things are far more important than football and this is one of them." Fowler suggested Suarez should commemorate the Munich air disaster of 1958, in which eight Manchester United players and three club staff were among 23 people killed, while Evra should pay tribute to the Hillsborough victims. Suarez refused to shake Evra's hand before the start of the last game between them in February at Old Trafford. Tributes have been paid to the 96 at Premier League matches since the report was issued with Liverpool's neighbours Everton staging a particularly poignant one before their match with Newcastle United at Goodison Park on Monday. Joint respect Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic, who has been sent off twice at Anfield, believes the Goodison spirit should be taken into Sunday's game and in an interview with The Sun newspaper he said: "We have to show an example and be on top of the situation and behave well. "There is a lot of history with these two clubs. We have had some tragedies, they have as well. I think we should respect each other because we are big clubs and clubs that are respected in the world." Two United fan groups, the Manchester United Supporters Trust and the Stretford End Flags, have urged fans not to sing disparaging songs about the Hillsborough disaster. Rival supporters have sung distasteful chants about Munich in the past. Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said the build-up to the game could affect the players. "It is a possibility, I don't deny it, human nature can be that way," he told a news conference, hoping the fans behave. "Liverpool have done their bit and we have done our bit, so let the game go on." Liverpool go into the match in 17th position and without a league win this term although they beat Young Boys 5-3 in Berne in the Europa League yesterday. United have won three of their four league games, are second in the table and beat Galatasaray 1-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday. — Reuters

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Chuck Norris ambushed on Slovak bridge to freedom Posted: 21 Sep 2012 08:56 AM PDT A new pedestrian and cycling bridge was almost named after famous actor Chuck Norris before Slovak officials rejected the overwhelming results of a popular internet campaign. — AFP pic BRATISLAVA, Sept 21 — Slovak officials rejected the overwhelming results of a popular Internet campaign to name a new pedestrian and cycling bridge near the capital after US action film star Chuck Norris. Despite 12,599 votes for the Norris name in a two-month online poll, Bratislava regional assembly decided to call the bridge spanning the Morava river and Slovakia's border with Austria the "Freedom Cycling-Bridge" in memory of people killed attempting to escape communist eastern Europe. The assembly's choice earned only 457 votes in the online poll, where it was easily outshone by other proposed names, including "Maria Theresa" after an Austro-Hungarian empress and "the Devinska cycling bridge" in honour of a nearby village. "We have unanimously voted for the Freedom Cycling-Bridge," Bratislava region chairman Pavol Freso told reporters. "It truly is a place where people were running for freedom through barbed wire, it is a place where many have died, so this is a dignified way how to honour these people." Slovakia, once part of the former Czechoslovakia, has a 107 km border with Austria and many people died trying to flee the communist regime before its collapse in 1989. Norris, a martial arts expert-turned film star, is known for playing tough guy characters in such classic movies as "Lone Wolf McQuade", "Missing in Action" and "The Delta Force". The actor's work has become a popular source of kitschy fun among Slovaks and a mainstay for local jokes about macho strength and invincibility. — Reuters

United Nude creates Lady Gaga-inspired platform shoes Posted: 21 Sep 2012 05:16 AM PDT United Nude recently created a pair of shoes directly inspired by Lady Gaga's perfume ad campaign. — Picture courtesy of United Nude AMSTERDAM, Sept 21 — Lady Gaga and her eccentric style seems to be an endless source of inspiration for the designers. While the Mother Monster is launching her new Fame fragrance in a series of events, United Nude has created a pair of shoes directly inspired by the perfume ad campaign. On the 12-inch high black platforms are small naked climbing golden figures. This limited-edition design is priced at €1000 (RM3,960) on the brand's e-shop. Lady Gaga is currently on tour with her "Born This Way Ball." — AFP/Relaxnews

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Shakedown or public service? Mug shot websites spread Posted: 21 Sep 2012 05:05 AM PDT Kyle Prall, founder of bustedmugshots.com, is seen in a combination of his own undated police mug shots for offenses including illegal consumption of alcohol as a minor, delivering/manufacturing of cannabis, and drunk driving. — Reuters pic NEW YORK, Sept 21 — Janet LaBarba drank two glasses of wine during dinner at an upscale Dallas restaurant the night she broke up with her boyfriend. Later at a bar she ordered a beer. At home, she found herself crying as she readied for bed. She decided to go visit a friend. Driving back long past midnight, she ignored blinking traffic lights and cruised through a stop sign. She was hauled down to the police station, charged with drunk driving, and photographed. It was the second time in six months. The two episodes in 2009 cost LaBarba more than US$20,000 (RM60,000) in legal fees and fines and landed her in jail for a few days each time. A judge ordered her to wear an ankle monitor for five months. Yet the most stinging punishment, she felt, came when several websites posted her arrest mug shots, so that Internet searches of her name instantly turned up the compromising photos. "It completely screwed with my life," LaBarba said. "People Googled me and it was very embarrassing." She said the images complicated her search for a job as well as a new relationship when her boyfriend's ex-wife looked up her name. For a fee, she could have the photos removed. She chose to pay up. Large data brokers have historically limited who gets to see their detailed files on people through a complicated application procedure that discourages casual users. Now, on the spur of the moment, anybody can access digital secrets, including criminal records, thanks to a proliferation of personal data Internet sites. One subset of these sites features mug shots that can be removed for a fee. Many among America's 314 million people are affected. US law enforcement officials made more than 13 million arrests in 2010, according to the most recent FBI statistics, although that number includes repeat arrests. The bureau maintains fingerprints and criminal histories for 72 million people, according to its Criminal Justice Information Services. Drug abuse and drunk driving are the most common reasons for arrest. Clare Dawson-Brown, assistant district attorney in Travis County, Texas, home to bustedmugshots.com's founder Kyle Prall, said she is concerned personal data sites sometimes list incorrect information and do not comply with state orders to erase certain cases from the criminal records. "Now that this information is out there it is ever more horrific for people to get their lives back together," she said. "How do you get this garbage out of there?" Several legal experts interviewed for this article said seeking money to remove mug shots from the Internet does not qualify as a crime such as extortion, since extortion requires a threat ahead of time to post the image unless the mug shot subject pays. "Wow — it does seem to come pretty close to the line," Robert Weisberg, co-director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Centre, said upon learning about such sites. "I'd say it skirts the line but may stop just short. (It) depends on how a reasonable person would perceive this in terms of fear." Wanted: Evidence of civic value LaBarba, 35, an event planner, rues the irresponsibility that led to her drunk driving arrests and believes she has learned important lessons. Yet she remains bitter about the public posting of her mug shot. "How is this legal?" she asked. "My business is my business. It's like me going to your house and looking through your things." Bustedmugshots.com responds that it only posts publicly available images. "We are publishing public records with an interest in informing the community," Prall said, speaking in a series of interviews about his business. "We have never approached anybody attempting to generate revenue from them to remove a record from our database." Bustedmugshots.com does not tell people they have posted the images but waits for them to learn of it, either on their own or through friends. LaBarba paid what the site describes as "nominal" fees — US$68 per photo for service within 10 business days, US$108 within 24 hours — to make the photos disappear. An Internet search of her name now leads to genial photos of LaBarba pictured with lots of friends. Prall, 33, grew up in Bloomington, a small city in central Illinois, the son of a circuit court judge. He set up the site a year and a half ago. In 2008, inspired by a Florida publication, he started a weekly newspaper called Busted! In Austin during his spare time. Promoting his US$1 paper with the slogan "Getting arrested isn't funny... but the mug shots are," Prall expanded to bustedmugshots.com, continuing with his day job as a financial analyst at a power company until earlier this year. His website collects its images from city, state and federal law enforcement agencies across the country, either for free or for a small fee. It has assembled more than 5 million records, he says. The company waives the fee for removing photos of those exonerated of any charges. On the website, bustedmugshots.com describes itself as "a valuable asset to local law enforcement. Our dedication to providing criminal justice has led to breakthroughs in cold cases, and numerous tips on robberies, sex crimes and even murders." Asked for specific examples, Prall offered none. He said he plans to revamp the site to include a crime map and the ability for users to submit tips to the police. Some local jurisdictions have resisted making mug shots available to him, although others say state public record laws oblige them to provide the images. Andrew Kossack, Indiana's former public access counselor, last year cleared the way for Prall to obtain mug shots, but he has reservations about the business: "It doesn't sit right in your stomach that this person should be someone who has so much control over your likeness." Others complain about the drain on resources. "It takes time to distill the records," said Andrea Brandes Newsom, chief deputy corporation counsel for the city of Indianapolis. "Is it appropriate to make use of taxpayer resources in order for someone to profit?" The US Department of Justice maintains a national sex offender database, and many cities and counties offer free searches of criminal records, while some post mug shots. Because such records are not optimised for maximum Internet visibility, they typically do not turn up in average searches. One of the most common crimes catalogued on Prall's site is drunk driving, but the advocacy group Mothers Against Drunk Driving sees little merit in public shaming. "We haven't seen evidence that tactics such as posting offenders' mug shots online leads to the reduction of drunk driving incidents or fatalities," said national president Jan Withers. Prall says his site is a leader in a sector where competitors include mugshots.com, whosarrested.com, and gotchamugshot.com. "IS THIS YOU? Or your friend/family member? Click Here To Remove," Mugshotsworld.com tells users. "Originally US$175. Discounted price of US$100 available only for short time." The sites seek to get photos prominently displayed in web searches. GotchaMugshot.com, for example, says on its site: "It's a common occurrence to find full names, profile, mug shot and offenses in the first page of most search engines like Google, Bing & Yahoo." Officials at these other mug shot sites did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment. 'Creepy vigilante justice' Prall has had his own run-ins with the law. As a young man he was found guilty of illegal consumption of alcohol as a minor, delivering/manufacturing of cannabis, trespassing into a car and drunk driving. A court sentenced him to 120 days in jail for the drug charge and 30 days for the drunk driving offense. "I made a lot of little mistakes when I was young," Prall said. "I did some things in high school that were bad choices." Prall does not make his own mug shots available on his website but said he would be comfortable publicising his past. "I don't think all that stuff should be secret," he said. Joelle Bem, who was arrested for crashing a friend's Ferrari while drunk in 2008, disagrees. She did not pay the roughly US$400 bustedmugshots.com wanted to remove a series of images, saying she did not have the money. A Google image search of her name still quickly reveals several unflattering photos. The divorced unemployed woman said the easy availability of the photos prompted her to move after a neighbour circulated the image to others after a disagreement. The images have also complicated the personal life of the former currency trader and financial analyst: "It's made dating really hard." "I thought I was punished enough by Dallas County," said Bem, 38, who served 30 days in prison. "I didn't know I was going to be further punished and cyberstalked by creepy vigilante justice whose only intent is to collect money from me." — Reuters

Choking under pressure? A simple squeeze may offer solution Posted: 21 Sep 2012 04:13 AM PDT MUNICH, Sept 21 — Choke under pressure? A new study announced this week reveals a simple trick that could keep athletes on the ball during a game's high-pressure moments. Thirty per cent of penalty kicks in professional football are missed, as are 20 to 30 per cent of NBA free throws, according to The Atlantic. The reason is mostly psychological — athletes fail not due to a lack of focus but due to more of an over-focus, too much attention directed toward the execution of the action, writes the magazine. A new study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General offers a simple solution: clench the fist of your non-dominant hand. Researchers from the Technical University of Munich in Germany conducted three studies with football players, judo practitioners and badminton players. They tested 62 athletes' performance during both normal practice and high-profile moments before large crowds or video cameras. The athletes, all right-handed for the sake of the study, were less likely to choke under pressure when they squeezed a ball in their left hand before competing. The football players squeezed a ball before performing a series of penalty kicks in front of an audience of 300 people. Judo experts kicked sandbags and badminton players performed practice serves while being told they were being videotaped for evaluation by coaches. "Increasing activation in the right hemisphere decreases activation in the left hemisphere," study researcher Juergen Beckmann told WebMD. "Hemisphere priming" seems to discourage over-thinking in high-pressure situations, writes The Atlantic. "Activating the right hemisphere of the brain by doing a simple action with the left side of the body (making a fist, in this case) appears to negate context-related declines in complex motor performance." The researchers are now testing the technique in studies with expert musicians. "It might also be useful for surgeons or other professions in which precision, pressure, and highly automated tasks combine," he told WebMD. A prior study published in the Journal of Consumer Research in 2010 found that tightening muscles, such as clenching fists, can help the mind cope with an array of difficult situations from being given an injection to trying to resist a slice of cheesecake. — AFP/Relaxnews

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Young bird is tied up and slapped around in ‘Fifty Shades of Chicken’ Posted: 21 Sep 2012 07:23 AM PDT NEW YORK, Sept 21 — In yet another food-inspired spoof of the wildly popular erotic trilogy "Fifty Shades of Grey" comes a rather raw and carnal riff in a book called "Fifty Shades of Chicken." Written under the pen name FL Fowler, the book parodies the passionate and naughty sexcapades of wealthy businessman Christian Grey and the young, naïve Anastasia Steele. Only in this case, a wealthy, young chef is the sexual dominator, while a raw organic bird, Miss Chicken the object of his 'fowl' affections. "I want you to see this. Then you'll know everything. It's a cookbook,"' reads an excerpt. '"I want to prepare you, very much. "This isn't just about getting me hot till my juices run clear, and then a little rest. There's pulling, jerking, stuffing, trussing." Like Steele, who starts out as an inexperienced college student, Miss Chicken goes from raw innocence to "golden brown ecstasy" and finds herself at the mercy of a domineering, wealthy, sexy and very hungry chef, reads the book description. Recipes for 'Dripping Thighs,' 'Sticky Chicken Fingers,' and 'Learning-To-Truss-You,' are divided into three acts. "The Novice Bird," is for easy roasting, "Falling to Pieces" offers weeknight meal ideas, while "Advanced Techniques" is billed as the "climax" of coking. The author of "Fifty Shades of Chicken" isn't the only one to capitalise on the international popularity of the bodice-ripping 'Mommy Porn,' as it's known. In the US, enterprising entrepreneurs are hosting "Fifty Shades of Grey" themed cooking classes creating R-rated dishes, while food websites are offering readers thematic menu ideas for dinner parties and intimate meals for two — or three or four. "Fifty Shades of Chicken," published by Clarkson Potter, meanwhile, will be released November 13. — AFP/Relaxnews

Maya Banks’ erotic fiction trilogy signed for seven-figure sum Posted: 20 Sep 2012 09:00 PM PDT NEW YORK, Sept 21 — Maya Banks, already an established author of the KGI and Sweet erotic fiction series, has her Breathless trilogy, which is sure to interest readers of E L James' Fifty Shades, due in 2013. Author Maya Banks. — AFP/Relaxnews Penguin imprint Berkley Books snapped up the three novels for an undisclosed seven-figure sum, with the first book, Rush, due February 2013. Each follows one of three men, all of whom are billionaires, best friends, and like to "dominate in both the boardroom and the bedroom." The publishing house is evidently anticipating high demand for the Breathless trio, with Fever scheduled for April and Burn coming in August. The new books mean that two other Banks titles are being pushed back, with Theirs to Keep and Colters' Gift given the nudge. — AFP/Relaxnews

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Ngeh tetap kritik Umno, BN walaupun sudah mohon maaf — Zambry Posted: 21 Sep 2012 02:16 AM PDT LUMUT, 21 Sept — Menteri Besar Perak Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir membidas Pengerusi DAP Perak Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham (gambar) kerana tetap mengkritik Barisan Nasional (BN) dan Umno walaupun telah memohon maaf terhadap kenyataannya sebelum ini, yang mempertikaikan bantahan umat Islam terhadap filem 'Innocence of Muslims'. Zambry berkata Ngeh menerusi laman Twitternya semalam juga telah mengkritik beliau dan Ketua Pemuda Umno Khairy Jamaluddin dengan menuduh mereka  memanipulasikan kenyataanya sebelum ini. "Saya lihat kenyataannya menerusi laman twitter terbarunya itu terlalu peribadi dan tidak bertanggungjawab," katanya kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Forum Pencegahan Jenayah di sini, hari ini. Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas kenyataan Ngeh dalam laman twitter terbarunya semalam, yang berbunyi "No hope for Umno. Their best brains Zambry & Khairy so low std (standard). People who read my tweet will have only disdain for them. (Tiada harapan untuk Umno. Cerdik pandai mereka Zambry & Khairy begitu rendah standard. Mereka yang membaca laman twitter saya hanya mempunyai perasaan hina terhadap mereka) Zambry menganggap Ngeh terlalu marah terhadapnya sehingga mengeluarkan kenyataan sedemikian. "Apa yang saya katakan itu bukan soal manipulasi tetapi adalah bersuara untuk mempertahankan agama. Dia sendiri yang telah bawa martabatnya terlalu rendah dengan mengeluarkan kenyataan itu," katanya. Beliau berkata Ngeh perlu ingat bahawa kenyataannya sebelum ini mengenai  isu filem 'Innocence of Muslims' menerusi laman twitternya boleh dilihat oleh semua orang. Dua hari lepas, Ngeh menerusi laman twitternya didakwa mengeluarkan soalan bantahan itu sebagai provokasi terhadap reaksi kepada hasrat Khairy bergabung dengan Dewan Pemuda PAS mengadakan protes terhadap filem arahan Sam Bacile itu yang menghina dan memfitnah Nabi Muhammad SAW. — Bernama

Ribuan membanjiri KL bantah filem hina Islam Posted: 21 Sep 2012 01:02 AM PDT Ribuan umat Islam berkumpul di Kuala Lumpur untuk membantah filem yang menghina Nabi Muhammad S.A.W. — Gambar oleh Choo Choy May KUALA LUMPUR, 21 Sept — Ribuan umat Islam membanjiri Kuala Lumpur, mengenepikan perbezaan ideologi politik mereka demi membantah filem "Innocence of Islam" yang menghina Nabi Muhammad S.A.W sepertimana berlaku dinegara-negara lain. Dua perhimpunan serentak anjuran pemuda Umno dan pemuda PAS dihadiri oleh ribuan orang dengan slogan "Allahuakhbar" dan anti Amerika Syarikat (AS). Diluar kompleks Tabung Haji di Jalan Tun Razak, protes yang diketuai oleh pemuda PAS dihadiri sekurang-kurangnya 5000 orang termasuk dua badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) Teras dan Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM). Sebaik sahaja solat Jumaat, kumpulan tersebut berkumpul sebelum berarak ke kedutaan AS melalui Lorong Kuda sambil mengibarkan bendera PAS, Malaysia, Arab Saudi dan Sang Saka Malaya sambil melaungkan "hancur AS dan Zionis". "Amerika mesti mengambil tanggungjawab penuh dalam isu ini. "Kami akan tunjukkan bahawa kesabaran umat Islam dan bukan Islam ada hadnya. "Jika mereka meneruskan dengan ini, kita akan mengambil lebih banyak tindakan," kata Azmi Abdul Hamid, presiden Teras. Sementara itu di Masjid Jamek Kampung Baru, ketua pemuda Umno Khairy Jamaluddin mengetuai lebih 2,000 orang, termasuk kumpulan-kumpulan pejuang hak Melayu seperti Persatuan Peribumi Perkasa (Perkasa), Persatuan Jalur Tiga (Jati), Majlis Belia Malaysia (MBM) dan Puteri Umno untuk membantah filem kontroversi tersebut. Mereka melaungkan takbir dan "kami menolak keganasan" sebelum Khairy memulakan ucapan. Demonstrasi di hadapan Kedutaan AS, Kuala Lumpur. — Gambar Reuters Ahli parlimen Rembau itu memuji sikap PAS untuk mengenepikan perbezaan politik dan bersama Umno untuk perjuangan umat Islam. "Dua hari lepas saya telah telefon Nasrudin Tantawi, dan kedua kami bersetuju bahawa kita mengenepikan perbezaan. "Pemuda Umno yg berkumpul hari ini bersekutu bersama dengan Pas, bukan seperti rakan pakatan mereka," kata Khairy sambil mengkritik rakan Pas dalam Pakatan Rakyat yang tidak bersama dalam demo yang memperjuangkan Islam. "Kita mahu PAS keluar dari Pakatan demi perjuangan Islam," katanya lagi. Khairy juga membidas pengerusi DAP Perak, Ngeh Koo Ham yang berkata demonstrasi menghina nabi sebagai 'membuang masa dan tenaga'. "Ada yang berkata, kita membuang masa dan tenaga. "Kalau mereka anggap kita buang masa dan tenaga, kita tunjukkan dalam pilihan raya untuk buang mereka," kata Khairy dan disambut dengan sorakan orang ramai. Mereka juga membawa bendera kalimah syahadah, sepanduk membantah filem tersebut dan mahu Washington dan Paris untuk mengambil tindakan ke atas pengarah filem Innocence of Muslims, Sam Bacile serta pelukis kartun yang disiarkan di sebuah majalah di Perancis. "Musuh kita bukan Amerika Syarikat, Perancis atau agama lain, tetapi mereka yang terlibat dengan filem dan kartun ini. "Kita mahu kedua-dua kerajaan untuk mengambil tindakan ke atas mereka ini. "Kebebasan bersuara ada batasnya, dan perlu dijaga dengan penuh hormat dan bertanggungjawab," kata Khairy lagi. Kedutaan AS di seluruh dunia diletakkan dalam keadaan berjaga-jaga berikutan dengan bantahan ke atas filem kontorversi tersebut, yang menyebabkan kematian duta besar AS ke Libya, Christopher Stevens dan tiga orang lagi warga Amerika ketika di konsulat AS di Benghazi. Filem selama 13 minit dalam bahasa Inggeris itu menghina Nabi Muhammad telah diterbitkan oleh seorang individu menggunakan nama samaran "Sam Bacile", difilemkan di California dan disiarkan di Internet dengan pelbagai tajuk termasuk "Innocence of Muslims". Klip filem tersebut sudah diposkan di YouTube sejak Julai. Bagi umat Islam, sebarang gambaran tentang nabi adalah berdosa. Sebelum ini, karikatur nabi yang disiarkan di Denmark telah menyebabkan protes di seluruh dunia.

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Apa ada dengan Gangnam Style? Posted: 20 Sep 2012 04:53 PM PDT 21 SEPT — Apabila pertama kali saya menonton video klip Gangnam Style yang dinyanyikan oleh bintang rap/K-Pop bertaraf dunia dari Korea Selatan Psy atau nama sebenarnya Park Jae-Sang (lahir 31 Disember 1977), tidak ada apa yang boleh saya nafikan melainkan ianya adalah satu pakej kesempurnaan. Saya katakan ianya sebuah video klip yang sempurna kerana segala pakej ada di dalamnya. Tarian, ekstasi, perempuan seksi, muzik hip-hop yang konsisten dan tegang serta kejujuran. Telah terbukti elemen tarian dan perempuan seksi di dalam lagu adalah satu tarikan yang amat berkesan untuk menarik semua golongan tidak kira tua mahu pun muda tanpa mengira bangsa. Sehingga semalam (19 September) jumlah penonton sehingga melebihi 214 juta. Bukankah itu satu keajaiban juga satu fenomena? Seluruh dunia malah di ceruk-ceruk kampung orang bercerita tentang Gangnam Style. Dari rakyat bawahan sampailah kepada pak menteri sana dan sini. Kita yang tidak pernah tahu tentang kawasan penempatan Gangnam pun secara tidak langsung sudah mula tahu dan mahu ambil tahu tentang kawasan tersebut dan cerita tentang penduduknya. Jika Michael Jackson masih hidup saya percaya beliau juga akan menumpang populariti lagu tersebut malah akan menari tarian kuda bersama Psy. Hari ini Psy bolehlah dikatakan penyanyi yang paling sukses dalam sejarah muzik dan industri hiburan di Korea Selatan khususnya atau mungkin juga di dunia. Secara peribadi saya bukanlah peminat lagu tersebut malah tidak meminati muzik hip-hop, rap atau muzik dance. Cuma "roots" muzik tersebut datang dari muzik disco yang cukup popular di tahun 70an dulu. Saya dibesarkan dengan muzik disco Village People, Tina Charles, Boney M, Genghiz Khan, Bee Gees antaranya. Muzik disco masih berirama dengan melodi yang sedap dan mudah didengar berbanding muzik hip-hop. Pun begitu saya bersetuju bahawa kehendak majoriti adalah jawapan dan tiada siapa boleh menafikannya. Gangnam Style adalah single terbaru Psy yang sebelumnya sudah punya enam album yang bolehlah dikatakan sambutan album terdahulunya di tahap yang sederhana sahaja. Melalui single terbarunya yang meletup itu, beliau umpama mendapat loteri dan serta merta juga taraf hidupnya juga naik melonjak setaraf bintang yang bergelar jutawan. Gangnam adalah kawasan tempat tinggal orang kaya seperti di Beverly Hills atau kalau di Malaysia kita boleh kata di kawasan Damansara. Dan lagunya dikatakan menyindir golongan biasa yang mahu berlagak seperti orang kaya. Apa yang saya baca dan faham melalui lirik Gangnam Style, ceritanya hanya menggunakan bahasa yang biasa-biasa sahaja, sesuai dengan konsep muziknya yang terus dan merangsangkan minda. Sebagai seorang penyanyi yang tidak mempunyai pakej seperti bintang K-Pop lainnya, Psy melalui lagu-lagunya lari dari elemen pop dan komersial, dengan bahasa liriknya yang mudah dan bersifat satira, humour dan penuh dengan sindiran — juga ada yang berunsur lucah. Seperkara yang jelas memang ada ciri-ciri rebel (melalui lagu mahupun ekpresi) penyanyi kelahiran Korea Selatan ini. Tidak hairanlah melalui albumnya yang terdahulu sejak album pertamanya yang diterbitkan pada tahun 2001 "PSY... From The Psyco World" penuh dengan kontroversi sehingga didenda kerana kandungan dalam albumnya yang dikatakan tidak sesuai diperdengarkan kepada masyarakat. Bertambah pula masalahnya dengan kes ditahan kerana menghisap marijuana pada tahun 2001, album ke- 2 yang hanya boleh dijual untuk pendengar berumur 19 tahun ke atas dan berbagai lagi sehinggalah Gangnam Style muncul pada 2012 menyuci segala dosa dan silapnya di masa lalu sehingga dianggap sebagai dewa hari ini oleh masyarakat di seluruh dunia . Lagu/video klip yang dipenuhi dengan perempuan seksi, tarian yang menghairahkan nafsu, lirik-lirik yang bercerita tentang perhubungan lelaki dan wanita masih lagi menjadi tarikan dan mimpi indah para manusia dari zaman berzaman. Cuma seperkara yang pasti bukanlah sesuatu yang mudah untuk sesebuah lagu itu popular dan meletup di serata dunia seperti lagu Gangnam Style. Ianya adalah satu keajaiban, seakan virus yang cepat menular menjadi wabak di seluruh dunia untuk satu musim sekurang-kurangnya. Saya perhatikan muzik hip-hop dan rap yang asalnya dipelopori oleh kalangan penyanyi kulit hitam memang mudah mendapat perhatian anak-anak muda di seluruh dunia. Mereka nyata terangsang dengan irama yang bingit dan tarian-tarian yang menghairahkan, kebanyakannya penuh dengan unsur-unsur seks melalui lirik-lirik yang panjang dan meleret walau tak tentu hujung pangkal ceritanya melainkan hanya bermotifkan keseronokan semata. YouTube masih lagi berperanan sebagai salah satu cabang promosi yang paling berkesan untuk para pengkarya tanpa melibatkan kos yang tinggi. Ramai penyanyi indie kita yang lahir dan mencipta nama melalui YouTube. Antaranya Yuna, Jimmy Palikat (penyanyi kelahiran Sabah yang popular dengan lagu "Anak Kampung") dan Najwa Latif (sekadar menyebut beberapa nama) Pendekata hari ini apa saja topik asal ada melibatkan Gangnam Style, saya jamin pasti akan popular dan akan ramai penontonnya. Pun kita sudah punya lagu Gangnam versi Malaysia yang tajuknya Gangnam (Super Kampung) Style yang dinyanyikan oleh para deejay dari Radio Fly FM yang jumlah penonton yang menonton video klip mereka di YouTube sudah melebih 1.7 juta. Bukankah ini musim yang sangat hebat bagi sosok tubuh yang bernama Park Jae-Sang ini? * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

Choosing tom yum over Big Macs Posted: 20 Sep 2012 04:34 PM PDT SEPT 21 — I've always had the indie spirit in me. I like being unique and one of a kind instead of being part of a corporate dinosaur. (Yes, for those who know me, I do work for a corporate dinosaur now but I'm still doing things the indie way!) I'm also quite the seasoned traveller, even if I do say so myself. And recently, I had the opportunity to travel to one of Southeast Asia's favourite destinations — the island of Phuket in Thailand. I had been there once before, but that was almost 20 years ago when I was still a teenager. Of course, I wasn't expecting everything to be the same, what with the unfortunate tsunami and all. But what I saw wasn't what I expected either. The famous Patong beach strip was swarming with people, and almost none of them were Thai. Most of them were visiting tourists consisting of Caucasians and other Asians. As for local businesses, Indians were running them. Twenty years ago, I remember that there was one McDonald's on the Patong strip, which was fine since it's the last resort for desperate and homesick tourists. Now, that same two-kilometre stretch has four McDonald's and two Starbucks. And if that isn't enough, here's the killer — turn around the corner of the strip and you will catch a glimpse of a huge gold guitar statue in front of a white building — Hard Rock Cafe, Phuket! Talk about mass commercialism rearing its ugly head here. That's the sad thing about Southeast Asia's tourism industry. We seem to think that the more commercialised we are, the more appeal we have when it comes to visiting foreigners. Malaysia is no different. We have our Phukets all over the country. Just take a look at our Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan P. Ramlee, with all the glitzy nightclubs and discos. We have large areas in Kuala Lumpur city that resemble the Middle East (because Middle Easterners like to visit?). Go down south and we have that spanking new LegoLand. Look at Langkawi and its European-like boardwalk with all the al fresco-style cafes and restaurants. Walking there, one could even be convinced that one was walking in France (despite the humidity and heat). Why can't we have a tourism industry that doesn't involve mass commercialism and is based more on the local culture and its people? It would be great to go to Phuket and taste delicious tom yum rather than a Big Mac and Coke, don't you think? But come to think about it, Phuket has always been an island that has sold itself as a cheesy, plastic, sex tourism destination anyway. And to go there, one can't expect anything else (we were there for a cousin's wedding and the event itself was great — congratulations Afi and Ili!). Still, that doesn't mean the whole of Southeast Asia needs to be like Phuket. We need to be more confident of our own culture and people and its appeal to foreigners. And come to think of it, Thailand still has great unique destinations such as the northern region of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. And let's not forget all the beautiful temples and Buddhist culture that so many from around the world come to see throughout the country. Aside from Kuala Lumpur and LegoLand, we still have great unique tourist destinations such as the east coast and Sabah islands, Kelantan kampungs and Sarawak forests. So I guess we're not all plastic and mass commercial after all. There might still be hope for Southeast Asia. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

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