Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Malaysian Insider :: Food

---

All-you-can-eat Whopper buffet by Burger King Japan Posted: 15 Nov 2012 05:43 PM PST Burger King Japan's 'All-you-can-eat Whopper buffet' campaign. – Picture courtesy of ©Burger King Japan TOKYO, Nov 16 – After launching black bun burgers and promotional stunts allowing customers to stuff as much bacon as they wanted in their sandwiches, Burger King Japan is at it again, this time with an all-you-can-eat Whopper buffet. To mark its fifth anniversary in the country, Burger King will hand out unlimited free sandwiches to fans for 30 minutes – a deal that comes with a set of conditions. According to RocketNews24, between November 17 to 21, customers who first finish off a Kuro Burger value meal – a black-bun burger dyed with bamboo charcoal – will be given a half hour to polish off as many Whoppers, fries, onion rings, sodas they can at no extra charge. Between November 22 and 30, the deal opens up to purchases of any Whopper value meal. It's the latest stunt to up the ante in the ongoing fast food wars being waged in Japan. Last year, Wendy's made headlines for launching a foie gras burger, while McDonald's released a KBQ Burger topped with Korean-style bulgogi (marinated beef) and gochujang, a spicy Korean red pepper paste. Meanwhile, MOS Burger is the second largest fast food franchise in Japan after the Golden Arches, and plans to beef up its international presence with outposts in Europe and the US. – AFP-Relaxnews

Savage review of Guy Fieri’s NY restaurant sparks online storm Posted: 15 Nov 2012 04:46 PM PST Food personality Guy Fieri defends himself from a scathing NYTimes review on the 'Today Show'. – Picture courtesy of @Today MSNBC LOS ANGELES, Nov 16 – A brutally scathing review of US food TV personality Guy Fieri's newly opened restaurant in New York's Times Square has ignited an online media storm with everyone from talk show host Dave Letterman to major news networks and food critics weighing in on the controversy. New York Times writer Pete Wells' review of Fieri's Guy's American Kitchen & Bar has been called the worst review in the paper's history. Published this week, the stinging diatribe is written in a series of rhetorical questions that drips with merciless sarcasm. "Hey, did you try that blue drink, the one that glows like nuclear waste? The watermelon margarita? Any idea why it tastes like some combination of radiator fluid and formaldehyde?" "Why did the toasted marshmallow taste like fish?" Posted on Tuesday, the story was the most emailed in the paper as of yesterday, generating more than 600 comments online and spilling over into the Twittersphere and Fieri's Facebook page, with camps divided between staunch Fieri supporters and equally staunch Wells fans. Fieri owns a spate of restaurants across the US but is best known as a Food Network TV host for Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. On Wednesday, popular talk show host David Letterman used the story as fodder for his nightly top 10 list, themed as "Top 10 Discontinued Guy Fieri Menu Items". Among the fictional dishes included seared halibut with intestinal parasite reduction; crust-crusted crust; and suspiciously damp toast. Outspoken, irreverent and acid-tongued chef Eddie Huang of BaoHaus in New York, meanwhile, put in his two cents on his blog Fresh off the Boat, going so far as to call the article a milestone in the world of restaurant reviews. "I guarantee in 2 years, we will look back at this review and say 'This was the moment.' This was the moment where an essential voice in the food world went on the record and said f*** you food network, f***ck you guy fieri, f*** this system of big box restaurants with Cheesecake Factory food propped up by people who can't cook." For his part, Fieri was given a chance to come to his own defense in an interview with US NBC program the Today Show, where he admitted the restaurant was still finding its feet after opening just two months ago. He also hit back, however, saying the article went overboard. "I just thought it was ridiculous," he said. "…That to me went so overboard it really seemed to me that there was an agenda." Fieri fans also took to his Facebook page to lend their support, with messages like "Stay positive-The New York Times review was bogus! Love your response to it!" and "Guy... pay no attention to the 'food snobs'." On Twitter, British food critic Jay Rayner gave his props to Wells' review, calling it "brutally funny," while fellow Food Network TV host and friend Sandra Lee, voiced her support by saying she was going to lunch with him this week. – AFP-Relaxnews

You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Food To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Malaysian Insider :: Sports

---

Hamilton denies any regrets over Mercedes move Posted: 15 Nov 2012 03:18 PM PST Hamilton insisted he was "very, very happy" with the switch. — Reuters pic AUSTIN, Nov 16 — Lewis Hamilton has no regrets over his jump to Mercedes next season, again dismissing comments from McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh that the Englishman was having second thoughts about his move. In an interview with the official Formula One website (formula1.com), Whitmarsh said he believed Hamilton had at times regretted his decision. "I was a little surprised to hear that, it's absolutely not the case," Hamilton told reporters yesterday as he began preparations for Sunday's US Grand Prix. "I've got a great team, I've been with them such a long time so I'm sure everyone has some emotions within the team but I'm still here giving 100 per cent for the last two races and of course it's quite emotional for me. "But I'm very, very happy with the decision I have made." Hamilton will replace retiring seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher at Mercedes next season, ending a long-standing relationship with McLaren, who spotted his talent as a youngster racing go-karts. Whitmarsh said it would be an emotional farewell with Hamilton, world champion in 2008, after the last race of the season in Brazil later this month but hoped the 27-year-old would one day come to regret his move. "I hope he thinks today that he's made an awful mistake and I hope he thinks that next year," said Whitmarsh. "He's made that decision and he has to live with that decision," McLaren, the second most successful team in terms of wins in the history of F1, have won five grands prix this season, including victories from Hamilton in Canada, Hungary and Italy. Mercedes have won one race, in China this year, since they took over the title-winning Brawn GP team at the end of 2009. Hamilton will start Sunday's race at the new Circuit of the Americas as the last driver to win a US Grand Prix with his victory at Indianapolis in 2007. Formula One makes its return to the United States after a five-year absence hoping to finally establish a permanent presence in a country that has largely ignored the sport. The eyes of the motor racing world will on Texas on Sunday with Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel looking to fight off a challenge from Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and clinch a third consecutive driver's championship. — Reuters

Liverpool’s Suarez taunts opponents’ boo-boys Posted: 15 Nov 2012 03:14 PM PST Suarez said the jeering motivated him to play better. — Reuters pic LONDON, Nov 16 — Liverpool talisman Luis Suarez is happy for opposition supporters to jeer him as it only serves to motivate him more, the Uruguayan said yesterday. Suarez has become a target for boos from the stands in England after he received an eight-match ban last season for racial abuse directed at Manchester United's Patrice Evra before refusing to shake the Frenchman's hand earlier this year. That incident prompted United manager Alex Ferguson to label the striker a "disgrace" while this season he has also come under fire for some theatrical tumbles to the ground. In the recent Merseyside derby against Everton Suarez celebrated a goal with a comical dive in front of Everton manager David Moyes who before the match said Suarez had a reputation for going to ground too easily. "I think you need to really know a person before you criticise them or speak out about them," the 25-year-old Suarez told Liverpool's website (liverpoolfc.com). "I think sometimes the opposition fans are more interested in booing Luis Suarez for the problems he had or because he's gone down for something than they are in their own team." Suarez, who has led Liverpool's attack almost single-handedly this season, scoring eight league goals to jointly top the charts with Manchester United's Robin van Persie, said rival fans should learn from Liverpool's support. "I think our fans are the perfect example and always show how to help the team by wanting to get behind the side," he said. "That's what the other clubs' fans need to do — get behind their own side and not just think about Suarez, because all that does is motivate me even more to do well." Suarez, who made headlines for the wrong reasons at the 2010 World Cup when he was sent off for a blatant handball on the goal line against Ghana, moved to Anfield from Ajax Amsterdam in January 2011 and has scored 32 goals in 68 appearances. His form, and Liverpool's poor start to the season, have triggered speculation about a move, but manager Brendan Rodgers said he is not going anywhere. "There will be no bidding war. He is staying here," Rodgers said. He's certainly not someone we want to sell or move on. "He has been a brilliant player to work with and we want to add to our squad - not take people out of it, especially a world-class player." Suarez said he is thriving under Rodgers. "As a player, it's vital to have the backing of your manager and so I think that the confidence Brendan is showing in myself and the team as a whole is very important and it's down to us to repay that trust out there on the pitch," he said. Liverpool sit 13th in the Premier League table, already 15 points behind leaders United, and host 14th-placed Wigan Athletic tomorrow. — Reuters

You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Sports To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz

---

Kit Harrington goes to ash in ‘Pompeii’ Posted: 15 Nov 2012 04:52 AM PST Kit Harington. — AFP pic LOS ANGELES, Nov 15 — Game of Thrones's Kit Harrington is set to face the eruption of Mount Vesuvio that covered its surroundings in ash in the forthcoming historical blockbuster Pompeii, reveals Variety. Britain's Paul W.S. Anderson is to direct the movie about the event that ravaged the Roman Empire location circa 79 AD. First announced in spring 2011, Pompeii could move forward with the recent addition of 25-year old Kit Harrington in the lead role. The British actor is currently in talks to play a slave named Milo. While in nearby Naples, Milo, who is in a relationship with his former owner's daughter, returns to Pompei when the volcano erupts to save his sweetheart as well as a gladiator friend. The movie is based on a script by Julian Fellowe (Gosford Park and popular TV series Downton Abbey). The shooting schedule for this Constantin Film production has yet to be announced. — AFP-Relaxnews

Few family films among Hollywood’s holiday movies Posted: 14 Nov 2012 11:57 PM PST Actor Ian McKellen is shown in a scene from the film "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" in this publicity photo, November 14, 2012. — Reuters pic LOS ANGELES, Nov 15 — If moviegoers are expecting traditional family films in theatres this holiday season, they may be surprised. Hollywood filmmakers are releasing movies that feature epic battles with vampires, goblins, extremists and a few elves. With blockbuster films like "The Hobbit," the final instalment of "The Twilight Saga," and the big screen version of hit musical "Les Miserables," Hollywood is hoping for a strong end to 2012 after some disappointments in the summer. The period encompassing the US Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays is the second most popular time of year to go to the movies, following the summer months. The holiday movie season kicks off Friday with "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2," which concludes the tale of a mortal girl in love with both a vampire and a werewolf. On December 14, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson releases the first of his three "Hobbit" films, based on JRR Tolkien's fantasy novel of the same name and featuring many of the same characters seen in his Oscar-winning "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. "As far as box office is concerned, there's 'Breaking Dawn' and 'The Hobbit' and then there's everything else," Fandango correspondent Dave Karger said. "Those two films are in a class by themselves — the anticipation for them is off the charts. Both have humongous built-in audiences and mega-successful movies that came before them." The North American box office has brought in some US$9.1 billion (RM27.3 billion) so far this year — up 4.3 per cent from 2011. Box office analyst Hollywood.com estimates that 2012 will close with domestic sales of US$10.6 billion, up 3.7 per cent from 2011, and on par with the all-time ticket sales record set in 2009."Hobbit" actor Andy Serkis, who plays the tortured creature Gollum, told Reuters the fantasy genre has become a "formidable form of storytelling." "I think in times when politics is unsteady, the world economy is unsteady, when religion is unsteady, people are looking for some kind of haven or a way of viewing the world through basic, primal storytelling," he said. Family films sit out the holidays What the 2012 holiday movie-going season conspicuously lacks are traditional holiday comedies and family fare. Instead, the comedies skew much more adult, such as the R-rated Judd Apatow comedy "This is 40" (December 21) starring Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann in a spin-off film from 2007 film "Knocked Up." "It feels like somebody is leaving a lot of money on the table this holiday season," said Drew McWeeny, film editor at HitFix. "There are no warm, fuzzy family films. Normally things like that are staked out so carefully. I'm not sure what happened this year." The season's only new animated film, is "The Rise of the Guardians," (November 21) based on a story by award-winning author William Joyce. In the movie, Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny form an "Avengers"-style team known as The Guardians and battle an evil spirit named Pitch. "Like all great fairytales, the movie is a metaphor for kids to interpret the world," said the film's executive producer, Guillermo Del Toro. "It takes characters that could be considered childish and gives them a romantic new take, making them so grand that kids can believe in them again without feeling childish." Oscar watch 2013 With the Academy Awards nominations scheduled for January 10 and the ceremony set for February 24, movie studios are trotting out their Oscar contenders. This season's offerings contain lavish and grand ensembles like Ang Lee's uplifting tale of a young boy shipwrecked at sea with a Bengal tiger in "Life of Pi" (November 21); Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty" (December 19) about the hunt for al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden; Quentin Tarantino's slave western "Django Unchained" (December 25); and Tom Hooper's adaptation of "Les Miserables" starring Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and Russell Crowe in the tale of French 19th century class warfare. Also generating Oscar buzz is David O. Russell's low-key "Silver Linings Playbook" (November 16), which stars Bradley Cooper as a former teacher with bipolar disorder struggling to put his life back together. Jennifer Lawrence and Robert DeNiro also star. "'Silver Linings' has a really simple message that to get through life, to get any sort of happiness (you need) community, family, love," Cooper told Reuters. "That's the major theme of the movie - that we all need each other." Family bonds are also the focus of "Hitchcock" (November 23), the story of the "Psycho" filmmaker's relationship with his wife, starring Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren, and "The Impossible" (December 21), the real-life account of a family caught in the 2004 tsunami in Thailand starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor. — Reuters

You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Malaysian Insider :: Features

---

Even moderate drinking in pregnancy may affect child’s IQ Posted: 15 Nov 2012 06:14 AM PST A study finds that women who drink even moderate amounts of alcohol while pregnant may risk lowering child's intelligence levels. — Reuters pic LONDON, Nov 15 — Women who drink even moderate amounts of alcohol while pregnant may risk lowering child's intelligence levels, according to a study by British scientists. Advice to pregnant women about drinking is contradictory, with some guidelines recommending no alcohol at all and others suggesting the odd drink now and then is safe. But in a study described as "hugely important" by one expert, researchers using genetic analysis of more than 4,000 mothers and children found that drinking between one and six units of alcohol a week during pregnancy can lead to lower Intelligence Quotient (IQ) scores by the time a child is eight. "Even at levels of alcohol consumption which are normally considered to be harmless, we can detect differences in childhood IQ which are dependent on the ability of the foetus to clear this alcohol," said Sarah Lewis of Bristol University, who led the study. "This is evidence that even at these moderate levels, alcohol is influencing foetal brain development." This study used genetic data from women and children who were part of another study called the Children of the 90s study. Since the individual genetic variations that people have in their DNA are not connected to lifestyle and social factors, this kind of study avoids potential complications. Most previous studies have used observational evidence, but experts say this can be misleading because, for example, mothers who drink in moderation while pregnant are typically also well educated, have good diets and are unlikely to smoke - all factors linked to higher IQ in children and which could mask any negative effects of alcohol. A US study published in July found that older, educated women are more likely to drink while pregnant. Genes affect alcohol metabolism This study, published in the journal PLOS ONE yesterday, used a new technique analysing the genetic variants, which modify the effects of alcohol exposure levels. When a person drinks alcohol, ethanol is converted to acetaldehyde by a group of enzymes, the researchers explained. Variations in genes that 'encode' these enzymes lead to differences in a person's ability to metabolise ethanol, so in "slow metabolisers", alcohol levels may be higher for longer than in "fast metabolisers". Scientists think fast ethanol metabolism protects against abnormal brain development because less alcohol goes to the foetus. The mothers were asked to record their alcohol consumption at various stages during pregnancy, and one drink was specified as one unit of alcohol. The results showed that four genetic variants in alcohol-metabolising genes among the 4,167 children were strongly related to lower IQ at age eight. The child's IQ was on average almost two points lower per genetic variation they had. The effect was only seen among children of women who were moderate drinkers and there was no effect evident in children of mothers who abstained during pregnancy. This strongly suggests it was exposure to alcohol in the womb that led to the difference in child IQ, the researchers said. "This is a complex study but the message is simple: even moderate amounts of alcohol during pregnancy can have an effect on future child intelligence." said Ron Gray of Oxford University, who was part of Lewis's team. David Nutt, a professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London who was not involved in the research, said it was "a hugely important study from the best UK cohort that can study this question". "Even though the IQ effects are small, if at all possible women should avoid ethanol in pregnancy as it's a known toxin," he said in an emailed comment. — Reuters

‘Made in USA’ label popular in China, too Posted: 15 Nov 2012 06:05 AM PST A study finds that certain products labelled "Made in USA" are coveted by Chinese consumers. — AFP pic NEW YORK, Nov 15 — "Made in USA" seems to resonate well beyond the USA. Consumers in China are willing to pay a premium for certain products labelled "Made in USA" because they see them as more durable and of higher quality, a new study found. The report, by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), found 61 per cent of Chinese consumers would pay more for a product made in the United States. When products are of similar price or quality, about 47 per cent prefer the US-made alternative, more than double the number who would pick the Chinese-made item. "The Chinese consumer is quietly concerned about what they're getting," said Hal Sirkin, a BCG senior partner and co-author of the BCG study. Consumers are responding to recent cases of lead paint in toys, tainted milk and other scandals that, in some cases, led to severe penalties for those responsible. As more Chinese enter the middle class, they will increasingly look for value in the goods they buy rather than just the lowest price, which will pressure Chinese manufacturers to improve quality, Sirkin said. Chinese consumers' preference for US goods, of course, is not as strong as US consumers', and its causes are different: Chinese shoppers more often cite durability and environmental impact than do shoppers in the United States. But the survey still shows a potential advantage for manufacturers or retailers of consumer products, who may be able to charge higher prices for goods made in the United States. BCG cited several examples of US-based manufacturing: Dell Inc makes computers; Google Inc makes Motorola-branded phones; and General Electric Co manufactures home appliances in Kentucky. Premium for US goods The survey of more than 5,000 consumers helps support the argument that more manufacturers should base production in the United States, according to BCG. As the cost of producing and shipping goods from China rises, more US manufacturers are expected to expand US capacity, BCG predicts. And as US factories churn out more autos and auto parts, electrical equipment and furniture, they could spark an industrial renaissance with 5 million new jobs, it says. BCG recommends retailers lock in US suppliers to attract shoppers, and is advising consumer brands to make their US sourcing as visible as possible. For now, relatively few do. "If you're going to have things that have a long life, like mechanics' hand tools, there's real premiums for 'Made in USA' over a foreign brand because the quality is better," Sirkin said. He named Stanley brand tools as an example. In both the United States and China, more than 80 per cent of those polled cite quality as a reason to pay more for US goods. Baby food, household appliances, tires, car parts and furniture are items for which most people are willing to pay a premium, generally of 10 per cent or less. Some categories are outliers: shoppers in China would pay 77 per cent more for US-made athletic shoes, a status symbol. Patriotism motivates US consumers. More than nine in 10 cited domestic jobs as a reason for choosing "Made in USA" goods. Overall, 81 per cent of Americans are likely to pay more for goods that carry the "Made in USA" label. More than a quarter of people are willing to pay at least 10 per cent more for appliances, furniture, and baby food. The BCG study, to be published today, focused on consumer goods rather than pricy capital equipment geared toward business and government. It found only minor differences in attitudes based on age, income and whether respondents had children. The appeal of US goods is by no means universal, however. French consumers see US-made mobile phones, shoes or baby toys as less valuable than local equivalents, and almost two-thirds of Germans would pay more for German products. — Reuters

You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Features To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Malaysian Insider :: Books

---

The tale of Napoleon’s second wife Posted: 15 Nov 2012 05:20 AM PST Michelle Moran's novel "The Second Empress" tells the story of Napoleon Bonaparte's other wife, Marie-Louise. — Reuters pic TOKYO, Nov 15 — Marie-Louise is 18 years old in 1809, the cherished daughter of the Austrian king, when she is forced to make a horrible choice — leave her nation to become Napoleon Bonaparte's second wife, or see France attack her country. So begins "The Second Empress" by Michelle Moran, her fifth novel and the latest in a collection of tales about strong women throughout history, from ancient Egypt's Nefertiti to Cleopatra and Madame Tussaud. Moran, who is currently working on a book about an Indian warrior queen, spoke with Reuters about Napoleon, his second wife, and why she likes to write about history. Q: What got the book going? A: "Each of my books has been inspired by actually either seeing the place where my characters live, or seeing something that was important to them. So for my first book, 'Nefertiti,' it was seeing her iconic bust in Berlin. For my third book, 'Cleopatra's Daughter,' it was when I was doing an underwater dive in Alexandria. This one is a lot less glamorous. I was standing in Fontainebleu, just outside of Paris. It was there that they showed us Marie-Louise's bedroom. I had never really thought about Marie-Louise, she was an 18-year-old girl from Austria and she took the place of (first wife) Josephine. Josephine was really, really well liked by the public at that time. She was considered his good luck charm, and it was only less than 25 years before that another Austrian — Marie Antoinette — had come over to marry a French king. So she was also filling (her great aunt) Marie Antoinette's shoes, in some ways, and that didn't end too well for her great aunt. "I thought what would it be like to arrive in a country that had beheaded your great aunt, only 25 years later. Many of the people who were involved in that are still living. You're this man's second wife, the church did not recognize his divorce to Josephine so he was considered a bigamist. This was really shocking to her — she was really religious. He had recently conquered her mother's country of Austria, he had humiliated the country and her father, and he didn't give her a choice. He wanted her because of her bloodline. In fact, the marriage was made without even asking her permission." Q: What did you do to get yourself into her head? A: "The book is actually told by three points of view. One is a Haitian chamberlain, and it was much more difficult to get into his head because I'm not Haitian, I'm not really religious, and writing from the male point of view is much harder. He was desperately in love with Pauline Bonaparte, Napoleon's sister, who was wildly outrageous — and she was the second narrator. The third narrator is Marie-Louise. To really try and get into their heads, I tried to read anything that was available, many first hand accounts of people who had actually met them." Q: What were the challenges and interests of this particular period for you? A: "The challenges were definitely trying to show a different side of Napoleon, since many people are attached to him as a military genius. There's no doubting the man was a military genius. He would sit in his tent and write literally thousands of letters from the front. While he's managing a massive campaign, he knew the fountains in Paris had stopped working. He knew everything that was going on, he was a micro-manager. That was incredibly impressive. So the challenge was to show a different side of him without angering people too much. "The different side I found was a man who was a misogynist, a man who was literally, truly cruel to women. The first time he had sexual relations with his favourite mistress was when she fainted at his feet and he raped her. He was incredibly crass and enjoyed insulting women. He would go up to them at a soiree and he would hint that he knew about their husband's infidelities, even if they had never cheated, just to see them squirm. Or he would pinch them and imply oh, you're getting a little fat there. And women had to put up with this, because he was Emperor. So maybe that was the challenge. "What made it easy was that there were so many resources to draw on. Some are reliable, some not. I read them all." Q: There's quite a jump in the places where you set your books. What is it about these places that appeals to you? A: "What appeals to me are the stories of women... and it doesn't matter what time, what place. Stories of women whose lives were unbelievable, and whose stories really went untold. They had a larger than life existence. They maybe were rulers, like Nefertiti. Maybe they were wives of rulers, like Marie-Louise, or maybe they were artists, like Madame Tussaud. It doesn't matter. These are stories that got lost. "Not many people know about Napoleon's second wife, thousands of people visit Madame Tussaud's across the world every day but not many know how unbelievable her story was, that she struggled between royals and revolutionaries and lived to tell the tale, which was true of nearly no one else. And now, in India, a woman whose tale was untold in the West... a woman very much like Joan of Arc. She went into battle against Queen Victoria's men, she rode into battle with her adopted son behind her, in some cases, and she lost." Q: You must enjoy research. A: "I do. It is one of my favourite parts about writing a book. That's not to say that everything is necessarily historically accurate. Historical fiction is fiction, and so in the parts where I've had to change the history slightly, I admit to it always in the afterword. I think people read historical fiction because they want to learn, so I try to stick as close to the history as possible." — Reuters

Erdrich, Boo win US national book awards Posted: 14 Nov 2012 09:44 PM PST NEW YORK, Nov 15 — Author Louise Erdrich won the National Book Award for fiction for "The Round House," a moving novel about a woman raped in a Native American community, at the annual awards ceremony in New York yesterday. Competition for the prize included such well-known authors as Junot Diaz and Dave Eggers, as well as Ben Fountain and debut novelist Kevin Powers. The gala ceremony at which the awards were announced was designed to bring buzz to an industry that has been shaken up in its efforts to transition to the digital marketplace. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Katherine Boo won the nonfiction award for her first book, "Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity," which sheds light on the lives of India's poor as well as government corruption. Boo, a former Washington Post editor and New Yorker writer who between November 2007 and March 2011 spent time in a Mumbai slum to experience life in contemporary India. She was praised widely for the book, which some critics said read more like a novel. Boo told Reuters in March that her biggest barrier in the slums had been the "many, many languages spoken," and she gave credit to a group of translators. "I also needed someone to work with me the way I worked - slowly and patiently," she said. David Ferry's "Bewilderment" won the award for poetry and William Alexander's "Goblin Secrets" won the young people's literature award. Novelist Elmore Leonard and New York Times publisher Arthur O. Sulzberger Jr. received lifetime achievement honours. The National Book Foundation, which administers the awards, nominated five writers in each of four categories: fiction, nonfiction, poetry and young people's literature. The four winning writers each received a US$10,000 (RM30,000) prize. — Reuters

You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Books To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Malaysian Insider :: Bahasa

---

Isu pembantu rumah warga asing jadi tumpuan muslimat PAS Posted: 15 Nov 2012 01:29 AM PST KOTA BAHARU, 15 Nov — Isu pembantu rumah warga asing menjadi tumpuan pada Muktamar Tahunan Dewan Muslimat PAS Pusat Kali Ke-52 di sini, hari ini apabila usul itu dibahaskan pada muktamar kali ini. Usul mengenai perkara itu dibawa perwakilan Indera Mahkota, Zuriati Muhammad yang mencadangkan langkah wajar diambil bagi mengurangkan pergantungan pembantu rumah warga asing. "Rekod menunjukkan kira-kira 200,000 pembantu rumah warga asing di negara kita yang sebahagiannya warga Indonesia. "Mengapa perlu menggaji orang luar. Pekerjaan ini jangan dianggap kelas terendah dan sudah sampai masanya kita mengambil pekerja tempatan," katanya ketika membawa usul sosial mengenai pembantu rumah itu. Beliau mencadangkan agar kerajaan menjadikan kerjaya pembantu rumah sebagai pekerjaan menarik dengan menawarkan gaji berpatutan termasuk diberikan caruman dalam Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja dan Pertubuhan Keselamatan Sosial (Perkeso). Sementara itu, perwakilan Bahagian Batu, Salbiah Abdul Wahab ketika membahaskan isu itu mencadangkan kerajaan mewujudkan institusi melahirkan tenaga kerja dalam bidang itu. "Saya juga mencadangkan agar ada juga kolej-kolej yang turut menawarkan kursus pembantu rumah ini," katanya. — Bernama

Allahyarham Tan Sri Dr Abdul Hamid Othman diumum tokoh Maal Hijrah Posted: 15 Nov 2012 01:25 AM PST PUTRAJAYA, 15 Nov — Bekas Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Allahyarham Tan Sri Dr Abdul Hamid Othman hari ini diumum penerima Anugerah Tokoh Maal Hijrah peringkat kebangsaan pada sambutan yang berlangsung di sini.  Hadiah wang tunai RM100,000; pingat; plak dan sijil penghargaan disampaikan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak kepada balu Allahyarham, Puan Seri Jamilah Mohd Said.   Dilahirkan pada 21 Julai 1939 di Kampung Kemelong, Sik, Kedah, Allahyarham terpilih menerima biasiswa kerajaan untuk melanjutkan pengajian peringkat sarjana muda di Universiti Al-Azhar, Mesir dalam bidang perundangan Islam. Pada 1977, Allahyarham dilantik Pengetua Maktab Perguruan Islam yang pertama. Selain itu, Allahyarham juga pernah menjawat jawatan sebagai Pengarah Pendidikan Islam di Kementerian Pendidikan dari 1981 sehingga 1984 selain mengetuai Pusat Islam di Jabatan Perdana Menteri sebagai Ketua Pengarah Bahagian Hal Ehwal Islam. Allahyarham semasa hayatnya turut aktif dalam bidang politik dan pernah memenangi pilihan raya umum pada 1990 serta menjadi anggota Majlis Tertinggi Umno. Allahyarham dilantik menjadi penasihat kepada Perdana Menteri pada 2001 hingga 2009 dan penasihat Hal Ehwal Islam di Kumpulan Maju Holdings Sdn Bhd, sebelum menghembuskan nafas terakhir pada 23 Dis 2011 akibat serangan agin ahmar, ketika berusia 72 tahun. Sementara itu balu Allahyarham Jamilah meluahkan rasa terharu dan berterima kasih atas penghargaan yang diberikan. "Saya berharap apa yang ditinggalkan oleh suami akan diteruskan oleh generasi kini dan sekiranya Allahyarham masih ada sudah tentu penghargaan itu amat bermakna sekali," katanya. — Bernama

You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Bahasa To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion

---

BN’s Achilles Heel: The young and Indians Posted: 14 Nov 2012 05:35 PM PST NOV 15 — Happy Deepavali! The Barisan Nasional (BN) government plans to split demographics to seed its electoral victory. So far the two key segments it has targeted have been lukewarm to it, despite BN filling mainstream media with reports of major inroads. They have not. That's why the discussion now will be about the young and Indians — the demographics to victory. Both have been falsely stereotyped. The basic misconceptions of both groups will render much of the ruling coalition's electoral math obsolete, leading to their candidates flattened by walls of indifference long before BN can sniff the finishing post. Move over, pops! Debate on whether youth is indeed wasted on the young, but the inseparable fact remains, that voters below 30 are numerous — plus they've upped their value to the game with massive registrations over the last four years. BN operators do say that those are not Pakatan Rakyat's votes, since they've directly registered many of them. Though the statement that BN has registered a large number of the new voters is true, the corollary of them voting in that vein is overly simplistic. The last 30-year-old was born when pop duo Daryl and Oates were topping the US charts with "Man-eater" and Italy world champions of football. That does not tell much, but growing up in a decidedly changing Malaysia running from its past and renegotiating its identity, the young feel they are not beholden to anyone. The idea of accepting authority and permanence as a way of life is an aberration to them generally. The Malaysian government therefore has no more a chokehold over them than their parents, who've done tons more for these new voters.  Loyalty is no more a given. They perhaps are the first generation of Malaysians weighing the government of the day on what they can do for them henceforth, than what they claim to have done for them in the past. They've bathed in the river of cynicism for far too long. Unfortunately, observers are often guilty of misreading their silence for acquiescence. Though these newer voters cannot shake off a degree of suspicion of one or more part of PR not being kosher — whether it is about DAP transplanting Singapore into the national soul, PAS just waiting to end freedoms so they extend their righteousness and PKR's collection of opportunists waiting to fail the economy — they struggle to reject the notion that BN is using them. They know intuitively when someone is using them. In BN they see the mother of users. Which leads to them re-evaluating BN's previous "information" transmissions. On second thoughts, the DAP blokes seem to love the country OK and have a keen eye for transparency; PAS operators yielding to democracy and the rule of law; and PKR with a rainbow of people and a line of those experienced in administration. To be fair, they do feel the analysis is not conclusive, there are question marks either way, but they cannot fail to sense that something more important than a government is being decided in this coming general election, they may be deciding how government is allowed to treat voters, and the veracity of that statement will determine if we as a country have long crossed the tipping point. I say we have. The young are by definition less averse of risk — there lies ahead a lifetime to fix a mistake, no decision is terminal — and are caught by inspiration. BN cannot inspire, it can only give. Since it has spent decades giving to buy our collective silence it's completely lost the ability to inspire. It's been comforted that without media, no one can hear the sound of falling trees for a dam construction when everyone is so far away. Social media has broken that monopoly. And BN can't find a consultant willing to sell inspiration. They are sons and daughters Next Sunday, November 25, is the 5th anniversary of the Hindraf Rally in Kuala Lumpur. From the early hours of the day, calamity reigned and thousands were locked in when they gathered at the temple ground on that day. The scenes in the temple compound then would have been markedly different from the ones days ago during BN's Deepavali open house there. No one was reminded — I am sure in any of the speeches delivered — that BN-run Selayang Municipal Council passed the controversial condo project threatening the temple's survival 5 days after the rally. That the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) intends to wash its hands of that past and instead portray itself as a very concerned party in this most egregious of developments, tells you that the party has no decency. So what of this demographic, the Indians? Understanding the state of mind in the Indian community by large would frame the discussion better. Up to 2008, Indians felt gratitude is salvation. Its strong hierarchy structure coupled with the feeling that there were not enough voters of that ethnic persuasion to force issues, led Indians to decades of learned-helplessness. The Indian life is either tolerable or intolerable, there is no Jain temporary nirvana in it. From estate workers to city general workers. The Indian does not matter, he can only show gratitude, step out of the way, let the educated speak and give his vote to those who know better than them. It did not change realities like crime, joblessness and poverty. A wrong step can make things worse. In Malaysia, as I grew up listening to family and community elders say the Indian must circumvent destitution by accepting limitations. So dead boys by machete, gun or reasons unknown are picked up, cleaned up, families weep before bodies are cremated. Just get along and get ahead. One undocumented woman raising her undocumented daughter hoping that no one would kick them out of the land they were born and raised in. The rest of us, the luckier ones are reminded this: Don't rue the past, work the present and pray for the future. It is in this muck of desperation and desolation BN found its votes, and kept mining from election after election. Something snapped in 2007. Seeing that many unarmed "darkies" on a Sunday in an empty city centre emboldened so many security personnel to "contain" these as they have many before. Though the many Indians who showed up would have struggled to explain why they were protesting, they did not have trouble comprehending the violence directed at them. That's how Malaysia deals with Indians, an Orwellian boot. In 2008, and since Malaysian political observers are only keen on race stats, the Indians were outright supporters of PR parties. There were increases across all demographics, but it was the colossal swing by Indians which was monumental. It was the game-changer. So, two things. One, at a practical level, Indians experienced a more intense reaction to their issues from all. Though the resolution rate to the grievances is not close to "impressive", Indian issues matter now. The community is cognisant of that, to say otherwise is insulting to Indians. They are deeply aware that the vote matters. Second, to turn to your key support group and disparage them by insinuating they will hand over votes for token benefits from BN, ignores the gravity of the decision to abandon BN in 2008. Every general election this country has ever known was built on presupposing Indian support, and rightfully so. It took a long time and a smash of an iron fist in its face for Indians to move their votes, to suggest an opposite swing for cosmetic reasons overlooks the cultural make-up of Indians. Loyalty is not a commodity, it represents the worth of a person. The continuous drone of so many writers reducing Indians to a single sheet of paper worth of debate misses the point.  It does cruelly highlight the subconscious condescension many Malaysians have of Indians based on how we look and what we earn. Change the player, not the darts That is why — admittedly I am in the minority — the seat counts by BN and PR are flawed. BN plays up both its appeal to the young and the return of them poor Indians. PR agrees too easily that the young are divided and concedes that the Indians may have made that trek back to their old masters. This is November. There will be no elections this year. All the talk, all the posturing but no election. I think I might have more than a few insiders in the BN ranks agreeing with my assessment. Chickens have come home to roost. Or as my friend always says, and claims is a Tamil proverb: "Friends you meet in jail are similar to the ones you cross paths in a railway station". I have no idea what he means, but I am eager to buy the train ticket for BN. And maybe some trains are like jails. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

Dr Mohamed Mursi iktiraf Israel, gerakan Islam hilang maruah Posted: 14 Nov 2012 05:25 PM PST 15 NOV ― Dr Mohamed Mursi yang disorak dengan gilang gemilang oleh gerakan Islam seluruh dunia apabila terpilih menjadi presiden Mesir akhirnya tunduk kepada tekanan hegemoni Amerika Syarikat dan skutunya Israel. Pada 17 Oktober 2012 lalu, Atef Mohamed Salem Sayed Elahl ke Tel Aviv untuk meneruskan hubungan diplomatik diantara Mesir dan Israel. Mohamed Mursi berasal dari gerakan Ikhwanul Muslimin atau "Muslim Brotherhood" yang menjadi rujukan kepada majoriti gerakan Islam seluruh dunia termasuklah Parti Islam Se Malaysia (PAS), Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM), Jemaah Islah Malaysia (JIM) dan banyak lagi. Pengiktirafan Mohamed Mursi terhadap negara haram Israel, merendahkan maruah gerakan Islam kepada penentang-penentang kekuasaan hegemoni Amerika-Israel lain seperti Hugo Chavez dari Venezuela dan Fidel Castro dari Cuba. Walaupun Chavez dan Castro bukanlah peganut agama Islam yang dijanjikan Syurga jikalau mati Syahid dalam melawan kezaliman, namun untuk tunduk kepada polis dunia tersebut tidak sama sekali. Imbas kembali sejarah, perjanjian Camp David yang ditandatangani oleh Presiden Mesir Anwar Sadat dan Perdana Menteri Israel Menachem Begin pada 17 September 1978, ekoran rundingan sulit selama 12 hari di Kem David dibantah oleh gerakan Islam seluruh dunia. Dua perjanjian telah ditandatangani di Rumah Putih, dan telah disaksikan oleh Presiden Amerika Syarikat Jimmy Carter. Perjanjian ini membawa kepada Perjanjian Damai Israel-Mesir 1979. Setelah itu, Sadat dan Begin berkongsi menerima Hadiah Keamanan Antarabangsa (Nobel Peace Prize). Kemarahan terhadap perjanjian Camp David membawa kepada pembunuhan Anwar Sadat oleh Khalid Islambouli pada 6 Oktober 1981. Khalid kemudiannya dihukum bunuh oleh pemerintah Mesir pada 15 April 1982 dan hampir kesemua pemimpin gerakan Islam ketika itu mengiktiraf Khalid Islambouli sebagai mati Syahid. Hari ini, apabila Mursi mengiktiraf Israel, gerakan Islam membisu, mungkin masing-masing sudah mula merancang untuk memulakan hubungan diplomatik dengan Israel. Perdana menteri (PM) pertama Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj yang dikatakan mempunyai kehidupan liberal sewaktu mempimpin Malaysia dahulu jelas mempunyai pendirian untuk tidak mengiktiraf Israel. Walaupun Tunku sendiri pernah mengatakan Malaysia adalah sebuah negara sekular, untuk tunduk mengiktiraf negara haram Isreal tidak sama sekali. Sehingga hari ini, secara rasminya, Malaysia masih belum mempunyai hubungan diplomatik dengan Israel. Dimanakah demonstrasi pertubuhan dan NGO Islam Malaysia menentang pengiktirafan Mursi terhadap negara haram Israel? Apakah pengiktirafan terhadap Isreal itu halal jika dilakukan seorang pemimpin itu berasal dari gerakan Ikhwanul Muslimin dan haram bagi pihak lain? Dimata dunia, Ikhwanul Muslimin dilihat turut mengiktiraf Israel walaupun ada yang mengatakan Mohamed Mursi hanya berasal dari organisasi tersebut dan bukannya mewakili organisasi tersebut. Habis tercalar gerakan Islam seluruh dunia dengan tindakan yang dilakukan oleh Mursi itu. Orang seperti Tunku walaupun dikutuk kehidupan peribadinya oleh sesetengah pihak kerana dikatakan tidak Islamik seorang yang lebih berprinsip. Chaves dan Castro yang tidak beriman kepada Al-Quran dan Muhammad S.A.W seharipun tidak pernah menghalalkan penjajahan yang dilakukan Isreal terhadap bumi Palestin apalagi menghantar duta ke negara penjajah tersebut. Apa lagi yang boleh dibanggakan dengan gerakan Islam? * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com