Jumaat, 1 Mac 2013

The Malaysian Insider :: Food

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The Malaysian Insider :: Food


Lunch treats at Topshelf

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 06:02 PM PST

By Eu Hooi Khaw
March 02, 2013

Topshelf's signature Man Roast Beef Salad. – Pictures by Eu Hooi KhawTopshelf's head chef, Christopher Yee.KUALA LUMPUR, March 2 — The Man Roast Beef Salad was a great start to lunch. Slices of beef, medium rare, were laid over a mixed salad, and drizzled with a tart, tingly dressing. It's one of the dishes on the lunch menu at Topshelf in Taman Tun Dr Ismail. 

Fresh coriander, lemongrass, garlic, a little chilli, lime juice and fish sauce made up this fragrant dressing, which complemented the tender, soft, almost velvety beef. We loved it. Why the "Man" name of the salad, I asked Topshelf head chef and partner Christopher Yee later. "Men like meaty dishes," he said. 

As Topshelf is mainly about French food, we were keen to try the quiche, Les escargots au beurre and Confit de Canard. As the quiche was a vegetarian one for that day, we decided on the last two, and added to that Linguine Ai Fruitti De Mare. Linguine is not French, but Topshelf does have some Italian dishes on the menu. The Pesto Capellini is another pasta dish, and pizzas as well.Le Escargots au beurre... fine balance of flavours.

The escargots, baked with butter laced with garlic and herbs, had a fine balance. They did not drown in melted butter; there was just enough to coat the almost delicate, succulent snails. Slices of toasted baguette were there for us to soak up the butter on the escargot dish. 

Duck Confit it was for our main course, with fondant potatoes and braised cabbage in red wine with raisins and shallots. The leg of duck slow poached in its own fat for hours in the oven had the meat falling off its bone while the skin was crispy. 

The braised cabbage in red wine with raisins was needed to balance the very rich-tasting duck. It also came with a green salad and fondant potatoes. It was altogether a complete, satisfying meal. 

The Linguine Ai Fruitti De Mare came wrapped in parchment paper, to be opened at the table; it released wonderful aromas of seafood smothered in a thick tomato sauce fragrant with basil, fresh parsley and dried herbs. 

The sauce had been cooked first with freshwater baby lobster, calamari and mussels before the pasta was added. The whole thing is then wrapped in paper and finished in the oven. You would have to eat this as soon as it is served, before the pasta goes soft. 

The divine Straits Panna Cotta.We were totally enamoured with the Straits Panna Cotta which had been splashed lightly with gula Melaka and amaretto, an almond liquer. The panna cotta was divine: it was just a little jiggly, silky smooth and perfectly creamy. 

The Apple Tarte Tatin had vanilla ice cream atop the upside down apple tart. I would have liked it better with the ice cream on the side as it melted over the crispy, buttery puff pastry with lush cinnamony apple slices, and turned it soggy. 

Topshelf's Apple Tarte Tatin.The restaurant had only just started lunch service. Besides the Man Roast Beef Salad (RM25.90 with coffee or tea) and quiche, there is also Hot Jerk Chicken Salad, Caesar Salmon Salad and Salmon and Fries Sandwich. Add to that a pumpkin or roasted tomato soup (RM9), or leek and potato chowder, and you will get a satisfying meal. 

This is my second visit to Topshelf. I had come away impressed the first time with the sublime Pesto Capellini, Boeuf Bourguignon or beef slow cooked in a full-bodied red wine, and Moules Marinere, which is mussels cooked in white wine, butter, parsley, thyme and shallots. 

The interiors of Topshelf restaurant in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.We also had the delicious Crispy Aromatic Duck, shredded and served with pancakes, scallions and hoisin sauce. This is not French but the chef had included this in the menu as it was something he used to eat in London, while doing his culinary training at Westminster and working at the Hilton there. 

His last stint was at the French restaurant Le Vaudeville in Paris, where he refined his skills in French cooking. 

The prices: Desserts are RM18 each, Escargots RM24, Duck Confit RM33 and Linguine RM36. 

Topshelf is located at 61 Lorong Rahim Kajai 13, Taman Tun Dr Ismail 6000, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-7727 7277. The restaurant is pork-free, and closed on Sundays.

Noma protégés to open their own Copenhagen eatery

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 04:13 PM PST

March 02, 2013

Noma Restaurant in Copenhagen, Denmark. — Afp picCOPENHAGEN, March 2 — Another set of Noma alum who worked under celebrity Danish chef René Redzepi are striking out on their own to open a restaurant in Copenhagen. 

With the blessing and endorsement of their mentor, former Noma sous-chefs Samuel Nutter and Victor Wagman are branching out to open Bror restaurant in the Danish capital. 

And in true Noma style, whose hyper-local culinary philosophy kick-started the foraging trend, the pair will keep their own vegetable garden on Sejerø Island, they tweeted. 

Noma has been named the World's Best Restaurant for three consecutive years by UK-based Restaurant magazine. 

Redzepi's ringing endorsement for two of his former star protégés, meanwhile, was re-tweeted by many of his fans and followers. "Please support these two brilliant young chefs following their dream with no investors — just pure talent & huge balls," he tweeted Thursday. 

The duo also has the Twitter support of Australian celebrity chef Kylie Kwong and fellow Noma alum Christian Puglisi who also struck out on his own to open Relae in Copenhagen. 

The restaurant earned its first Michelin star last year. And American expat Matt Orlando, also formerly of Noma, is slated to open an "American-style" eatery in the Danish capital this summer. Amass is to open in a former shipping depot. 

It's a pattern that can be compared with El Bulli, which held the title of best restaurant in the world five times until it shuttered in 2011, and served as the training ground for Redzepi, as well as a roster of other top chefs today such as Grant Achatz, Andoni Luis Aduriz and José Andrés. — Afp-Relaxnews

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The Malaysian Insider :: Sports

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The Malaysian Insider :: Sports


Birthday boy Redknapp expecting hostile Saints reception

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 07:26 AM PST

March 01, 2013

Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp is seen during their English Premier League soccer match at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea, February 9, 2013. — Reuters picLONDON, March 1 — Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp is not expecting any birthday wishes from Southampton fans when his Premier League strugglers travel to St Mary's tomorrow (1500 GMT).

Redknapp, who will be 66 tomorrow, was in charge of Southampton when they were relegated from the Premier League in 2005 and then, to add insult to injury, left a few months later to take over at bitter rivals Portsmouth.

"It is my first trip back to Southampton. I will get a bit of grief I am sure. Southampton supporters are good supporters," Redknapp told a news conference today.

"I won't lose sleep over it. I will only do that if we get beat.

"No one was more upset than I was that Southampton got relegated. I gave everything I had."

QPR, who have won only twice this season, are bottom of the table with 17 points, seven from the safety zone. Southampton, whose manager Mauricio Pochettino also has a birthday tomorrow, are two places above the relegation zone on 27 points.

"It is getting more difficult (to turn it round). We need back-to-back wins. That is something we need to do," said Redknapp whose side's last victory was 1-0 over Chelsea on Jan. 2.

"I have got to be upbeat. If I start saying we will get relegated we might as well go on our summer holidays."

QPR will be without striker Bobby Zamora for Saturday's trip.

"Bobby is struggling. He won't be available as he has done his ankle; there's no way he can play," Redknapp said.

Zamora, QPR's top scorer this season with five goals in total, injured his ankle last weekend. — Reuters

Van Persie fit for action after hip injury

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 06:08 AM PST

March 01, 2013

Manchester United's Robin Van Persie shoots and fails to score against Queen's Park Rangers during their English Premier League soccer match in London February 23, 2013. — Reuters picMANCHESTER, March 1 — Manchester United's top scorer Robin van Persie has shaken off a hip injury and will be fit for tomorrow's Premier League game at home to Norwich City, manager Alex Ferguson said today.

The Dutchman, who has 19 league goals to his name for the leaders this season, was substituted in the first half of last weekend's 2-0 win at Queens Park Rangers after tumbling into a TV camera dugout.

"Robin van Persie has trained this week — he's available for tomorrow. His hip was very tender but he's OK now," manager Alex Ferguson told a news conference.

Defender Phil Jones will not be available for tomorrow's league game because of an ankle injury but could return for Tuesday's mouth-watering Champions League last 16 second leg at home to Real Madrid.

The European tie is evenly balanced at 1-1 after last month's first leg.

Ferguson was mindful of not getting distracted by the Real game as his side seek to extend their Premier League lead. They could stretch to 15 points ahead of Manchester City tomorrow as the champions do not play Aston Villa until Monday.

"Tomorrow is an important one because Tuesday will look after itself," he said. "It's an occasion on Tuesday whereas tomorrow is the mundane practical situation in that we need to win."

United have 68 points from 27 matches, with City on 56 and third-placed Tottenham Hotspur on 51. — Reuters

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The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz

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Country singer, survivalist Craig Morgan heads to Arctics

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 10:35 PM PST

March 01, 2013

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, March 1 — American country singer Craig Morgan calls himself a survivalist, and he is in for a frigid challenge at an upcoming sled dog expedition in the Scandinavian arctics.

Morgan (picture), a Tennessee native who is best known for hits "That's What I Love About Sunday" and "Redneck Yacht Club", said he could not pass up an invitation to test his survival skills in the annual Fjaellraeven Polar sled dog expedition.

"I've jumped out of airplanes, been on scuba trips, and I was just in the Bahamas in a cage with sharks," Morgan, 48, told Reuters. "Still, this is pretty extreme in my book."

The harrowing 330 km dog-led adventure from the frozen mountains of Norway to Sweden takes place April 9-13 and promises to teach ordinary people how to last through sub-zero temperatures and lashing Arctic winds.

Morgan, who will learn how to handle sled dogs along with 20 other participants, will also bring along the camera crew from his reality show "Craig Morgan: All Access Outdoors" on the Outdoors Channel to chronicle the expedition.

"I had not heard about this event before I was asked to participate," said Morgan, who will bring along his son, Kyle.

"Once they asked me I said, 'Absolutely'," he added. "I'm a survivalist; anytime I get the opportunity to test my survival skills I jump at it."

On his TV show, Morgan tests his survival instincts in situations such as skydiving and aerial bow fishing.

Morgan, a veteran of the US Army whose only previous sub-zero experiences include stays in Korea and blustery Iowa, said he looked forward to learning how to work with the sled dogs.

"I love dogs, have dogs of my own, but these dogs are completely different," he said.

"They sleep outside in the snow ... the language that you give the commands is different. I'll have to get into their world and work the way they are used to."

Morgan is also the host of the Outdoor Channel's "Field & Stream Total Outdoorsman Challenge". He has released six studio albums over his 13-year career, most recently "This Ole Boy" in 2012. — Reuters

Racy ‘Girls Gone Wild’ video company files for bankruptcy

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:31 PM PST

March 01, 2013

LOS ANGELES, March 1 — The company behind the "Girls Gone Wild" video series featuring scantily clad young women drinking, dancing and stripping, has filed for bankruptcy protection citing US$16 million (RM49.6 million) in debts, according to court papers obtained yesterday.

Privately owned GGW Brands filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in US federal court in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The Los Angeles company said in a statement that it was seeking reorganisation and that the filing would not affect any of the domestic or international operations of "Girls Gone Wild".

The company, which has sold millions of the racy videos and DVDs since 1997, listed as its biggest debt a US$10.3 million debt owed to Wynn Resorts casino owner Steve Wynn.

"Girls Gone Wild" creator Joe Francis (picture) was last year ordered to pay Wynn US$40 million in damages for defamation and emotional distress. A Los Angeles jury found that Francis had falsely claimed that Wynn threatened his life over a gambling debt.

Another creditor listed in the bankruptcy papers was a woman who won a US$5 million lawsuit against "Girls Gone Wild" after someone exposed her breasts in a bar without her consent for one of the company's films.

GGW Brands said it has assets of less than US$50,000, according to the court papers.

"The company Girls Gone Wild remains strong as a company and strong financially," GGW Brands said in a statement yesterday. "The only reason Girls Gone Wild has elected to file for this reorganization is to restructure its frivolous and burdensome legal affairs." — Reuters

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The Malaysian Insider :: Breaking Views

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Kerry to chide Turkish PM over Zionism comments

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 07:51 AM PST

March 01, 2013

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan listens during a news conference after the opening session of the fifth United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Forum in Vienna February 27, 2013. — Reuters picANKARA, March 1 — US Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to take Turkey's prime minister to task for describing Zionism as a crime against humanity, an attack on a key US ally that has overshadowed their talks on the crisis in neighbouring Syria.

Kerry, on his first trip to a Muslim nation since taking office, is meeting Turkish leaders for talks meant to focus on Syria's civil war and bilateral interests from energy security to counter-terrorism.

But comment by Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan at a UN meeting in Vienna this week, condemned by his Israeli counterpart, the White House and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, has clouded his trip.

"This was particularly offensive, frankly, to call Zionism a crime against humanity ... It does have a corrosive effect (on relations)," a senior US official told reporters as Kerry flew to Ankara.

"I am sure the secretary will be very clear about how dismayed we were to hear it," the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

"To state the obvious, it complicates our ability to do all of the things that we want to do together when we have such a profound disagreement about such an important thing."

Washington needs all the allies it can get as it navigates the political currents of the Middle East, and sees Turkey as the key player in supporting Syria's opposition and planning for the era after President Bashar al-Assad.

But the collapse of Ankara's ties with Israel have undermined US hopes that Turkey could play a role as a broker in the broader region.

"The Turkey-Israel relationship is frozen," the US official said. "We want to see a normalisation ... not just for the sake of the two countries but for the sake of the region and, frankly, for the symbolism," he said.

"Not that long ago (you) had these two countries demonstrating that a majority Muslim country could have very positive and strong relations with the Jewish state and that was a sign for the region (of what was) possible."

Erdogan told the UN Alliance of Civilizations meeting in Vienna on Wednesday: "Just as with Zionism, anti-Semitism and fascism, it has become necessary to view Islamophobia as a crime against humanity."

Erdogan's caustic rhetoric on Israel has won applause from conservative supporters at home but raised increasing concern among Western allies.

"Erdogan's comments about Israel have become progressively more worrying," said Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress. "This type of rhetoric is pushing Turkey further away from the West and Europe and closer to Iran."

Ties between Israel and mostly Muslim Turkey have been frosty since 2010, when Israeli marines killed nine Turks in fighting aboard a Palestinian aid ship that tried to breach Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.

In recent weeks, there has been a run of reports in the Turkish and Israeli media about efforts to repair relations, including a senior diplomatic meeting last month in Rome and military equipment transfers.

The reports have not been confirmed by either government.

SUPPORT FOR SYRIAN OPPOSITION

Turkey's relations with the United States have always been prickly, driven more by a mutual need for intelligence than any deep cultural affinity. And Erdogan's populist rhetoric, sometimes at apparent odds with US interests, is aimed partly at a domestic audience wary of Washington's influence.

But the two have strong common interests. Officials said Syria would top the agenda in Kerry's meetings with Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul, building on the discussions in Rome between 11 mostly European and Arab nations within the "Friends of Syria" group.

After the Rome meeting, Kerry said yesterday the United States would for the first time give non-lethal aid to the rebels and more than double support to the civilian opposition, although Western powers stopped short of pledging arms.

"We need to continue the discussion which took place in Rome ... in terms of the main goals there is no daylight between us and the Americans," a senior Turkish official said.

"A broad agreement was reached on supporting the opposition. Now our sides need to sit down and really flesh out what we can do to support them in order to change the balance on the ground," he said.

Turkey has been one of Assad's fiercest critics, hosting a NATO Patriot missile defence system, including two US batteries, to protect against a spillover of violence and leading calls for international intervention.

It has spent more than US$600 million (RM1.8 billion) sheltering refugees from the conflict that began almost two years ago, housing some 180,000 in camps near the border and tens of thousands more who are staying with relatives or in private accommodation.

Washington has given US$385 million in humanitarian aid for Syria but US President Barack Obama has so far refused to give arms, arguing it is difficult to prevent them from falling into the hands of militants who could use them on Western targets.

Turkey, too, has been reluctant to provide weapons, fearing direct intervention could cause the conflict to spill across its borders. — Reuters

Wall St dips on data, S&P set for worst week in 2013

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 07:49 AM PST

March 01, 2013

NEW YORK, March 1 — US stocks fell today, beginning March on a weak footing, as lacklustre data in the US and abroad pointed to a world economic recovery that struggles to gain traction.

January personal income fell 3.6 per cent in the US, its biggest drop in 20 years. — Reuters picWhile Wall Street rebounded off its lows of the session following an encouraging read on manufacturing, the benchmark S&P 500 remained on track to close out its worst week this year so far.

January personal income fell 3.6 per cent in the US, its biggest drop in 20 years.

China's factory growth cooled to multi-month lows in February as domestic demand dipped, and euro zone manufacturing activity appeared no closer to recovery last month, as a dire performance in France offset a return to growth in Germany.

"The weakness overseas really spooked things, and that's what's directing the ball right now," said Bill Stone, chief investment strategist at PNC Wealth Management in Philadelphia.

There were some bright spots, too, as new orders drove the pace of US manufacturing growth to its quickest in more than a year and a half in February, according to the Institute for Supply Management.

In addition, US consumer sentiment rose more than expected in February, the final Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan sentiment index showed.

Investors were also looking ahead to US government budget cuts that were widely expected to take effect at the end of the day, barring an unlikely last-minute deal. The International Monetary Fund has said that if the cuts take effect, it would re-evaluate growth forecasts for the US

The Dow Jones industrial average was down 44.93 points, or 0.32 per cent, at 14,009.56. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 6.20 points, or 0.41 per cent, at 1,508.48. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 17.89 points, or 0.57 per cent, at 3,142.30.

For the week, the Dow is up less than 0.1 per cent while the Nasdaq is off 0.6 per cent and the S&P is off 0.4 per cent in its worst weekly performance this year.

Equities have been on a tear lately, rising for four straight months to approach five-year highs, while the Dow is now about 1 per cent away from its all-time intraday high of 14,198.10. Declines have been shallow or short-lived, with investors jumping in to seek value on any dips.

In addition to concerns about economic growth, "there are also jitters with the Dow at the doorstep of all-time highs," said PNC's Stone, who helps oversee US$115 billion (RM356 billion) in assets. "Given the speed of the advance we've seen, there's plenty of room for a pullback."

The equity market gains have come on the back of strong corporate earnings and an accommodative Federal Reserve. In that environment, many investors have shrugged off the potential impact of the sequester, US$85 billion in spending cuts across federal government agencies that economists expect will shave half a per centage point off US economic growth.

Cyclical companies such as banks and materials stocks, which are closely tied to the pace of economic growth, are likely to be among the hardest hit in the short term. Morgan Stanley fell 0.8 per cent to US$22.37. Chevron Corp slid 0.7 per cent to US$116.32.

Groupon Inc surged 4 per cent to US$4.71, a day after the online coupon company fired its chief executive officer in the wake of weak quarterly results.

Gap Inc rose 3.1 per cent to US$33.97 after reporting fourth-quarter earnings that beat expectations and boosting its dividend by 20 per cent, while Salesforce.com Inc posted sales that beat forecasts, sending shares up 5.9 per cent to US$179. — Reuters

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The Malaysian Insider :: Features

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The Malaysian Insider :: Features


Vibram FiveFingers may lead to foot bone injuries, says study

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 02:20 AM PST

March 01, 2013

LOS ANGELES, March 1 — A new study finds that barefoot-style running shoes Vibram FiveFingers may increase a runner's risk of foot bone injury.

While dedicated barefoot runners may scoff at the news, the research does provide evidence supporting the suggestion that those transitioning from traditional running shoes to barefoot-style shoes take it slow — very slow. 

In the study, to be published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, US researchers enlisted healthy recreational runners into two groups. One group continued their normal running routine in their traditional running shoes, while the other group switched to Vibram FiveFingers (picture). The FiveFingers group followed the shoemaker's suggestions for safely transitioning into the shoes over a period of 10 weeks, starting with one short run (one to two miles) the first week and slowly adding distance in subsequent weeks. 

The researchers also took MRIs of the runners' feet both before and after the study. While there were no differences after the study in the runners' soft tissue, the bone readings told a different story, reports Runner's World. 

The MRIs examined bone marrow edema, which is excess fluid in bone marrow that can be a tell-tale sign of injury. Results showed that 10 of the 19 runners in the Vibram group had a foot bone injury, compared to one of the 17 runners in the traditional running shoe group. Two of the 10 injured Vibram runners developed stress fractures. 

For those who want to run in Vibram FiveFingers, or other barefoot-style runners, the researchers recommend taking even longer than 10 weeks to transition into the shoes.

Also experts recommend that you stick with traditional footwear if you're overweight or have any serious orthopaedic ailments: opt for something more supportive instead. Triathlon.competitor.com adds that runners with "biomechanically disadvantaged feet" need the kind of footwear that can support those issues. That means if you have poor forefoot stability, overpronate, or supinate, you'll need proper footwear to set you straight. The best way to find out if you fall into this category is to visit a running clinic or stop by a specialty running store for an examination of your running style. — AFP/Relaxnews 

Thailand a ‘bottomless pit’ for ivory laundering, say activists

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 11:02 PM PST

March 01, 2013

A Thai Customs official shows seized ivory at the Customs Office of Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok on August 21, 2009. — Reuters picBANGKOK, March 1 — Ivory is easy to find on the stalls of Chatuchak Market and River City mall in Bangkok. On display at just one shop are hundreds of kilograms of carved elephant tusk, unthinkable in most capitals but freely and legitimately for sale in Thailand.

As many as 30,000 elephants were slaughtered globally last year, environmental groups say, and populations are rapidly dwindling, with poachers undeterred by a ban on the international ivory trade in existence since 1989.

Thailand allows its nationals to trade in ivory from elephants that have died of natural causes inside its borders. But animal activists say the system is abused and ivory from Africa and elsewhere is "laundered" through the country.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) holds a conference in Bangkok from March 3 to 14 and — to the embarrassment of the hosts — environmental groups such as World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and TRAFFIC plan to table a motion calling for sanctions against Thailand.

"One of the reasons Thailand is being hit so hard in the CITES conference is, if you look at the numbers of domestic elephants and the numbers of Thailand's ivory carvers, it doesn't add up," said William Schaedla, director of Southeast Asia for TRAFFIC, an NGO for monitoring wildlife trade.

TRAFFIC estimates the country's elephant population and the natural death rate would provide only 8.4 kg of ivory per registered carver a year.

But poor enforcement and regulation mean Thai merchants can lay their hands on much larger quantities. After the 1989 ban, countries were supposed to inventory their pre-existing stockpiles so CITES could keep tabs on them. Thailand never did, animal rights groups say.

"There's an undisclosed amount of ivory in the country, so essentially a bottomless pit to launder through," said Schaedla.

Thai ivory is supposed to be certified, but according to Schaedla this involves an easily forged slip of paper that the government doesn't bother to track, meaning African ivory can easily enter the market.

These failures mean Thailand now faces sanctions that, at their strongest, would ban its participation in international trade in the most endangered CITES-listed species, including reptile skins and rare orchids in which it has thriving markets.

Only Thai nationals should be able to buy ivory inside the country but buyers from Europe, the Americas and China are more common. Crackdowns are rare, and mostly occur during the run-up to CITES conferences, NGOs said.

Efforts have been made to clean up the laws governing elephants, but lobbying from ivory carvers and elephant owners derailed the process.

"The resolution of this issue is about political will, and Thailand has repeatedly kicked the can down the road," said Tom Milliken, TRAFFIC's director for South and East Africa.

Some believe sanctions aren't enough, and that the only way to save Africa's elephants is to ban all ivory markets, including those in Thailand and China, the world's largest.

"Our position is any legal market provides a parallel illegal market," said Mary Rice of the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), a London-based NGO.

The EIA estimates over 90 per cent of ivory on sale in China is illegally sourced.

"We must target the demand side and ensure markets in China and Thailand for ivory are banned. Ivory should be illegal without exception," Shelley Waterland of the Born Free Foundation told a news conference in Bangkok on Thursday.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Wednesday Thailand would "consider" a ban on the domestic ivory trade, but some officials apparently see no need.

"The Thai government has a system to control the ivory trade from domestic animals already," said Theeraphat Prayurasith, deputy director of Thailand's Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Protection.

"We do not use African ivory in this country, and the quantities are not too large to be from domestic ivory. It is the right of Thai people to use domestic elephants," he said.

Activists will argue at the CITES conference that this system is not working, and the Thai ivory trade is a big factor behind dwindling African elephant populations.

"No one is going to hammer them and hit them with sanctions if they do something. But there's an appearance of subterfuge and stalling," said Schaedla. — Reuters

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The Malaysian Insider :: Books

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The Malaysian Insider :: Books


Cookbook about Jerusalem leads food writing competition

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 03:57 PM PST

March 01, 2013

LONDON, March 1 — A cookbook that explores the diverse cuisines of Jerusalem leads an international competition that recognizes the best in food and culinary writing.

The International Association of Culinary Professionals has released the finalists for the 2013 edition of the awards, giving repeat nods to restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's "Jerusalem: A Cookbook," a collection of 120 recipes from their home city.

The title is nominated three times in categories such as Chefs and Restaurants, International, and Food Photography and Styling.

Foods reflect the city's diversity, home to Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities, and include recipes such as fattoush, latkes, stuffed eggplant with lamb and pine nuts and spiced cookies.

Other repeat nominees include Thomas Keller's "Bouchon Bakery," up for best Chefs and Restaurants title and Food Photography and Styling, as well as "Vietnamese Home Cooking" by Charles Phan and Naomi Duguid's "Burma: Rivers of Flavor," both of which are likewise nominated in two categories.

Winners will be announced April 9 in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, over the weekend the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, the more internationally representative of the two competitions as books are not all written in English, also handed out awards for the best cookery books.

French-Canadian chef Martin Picard took home award for Cookbook of the Year for "Cabane à Sucre Au Pied de Cochon," which is also available in English as "Au Pied de Cochon Sugar Shack." — AFP/Relaxnews

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The Malaysian Insider :: Bahasa

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The Malaysian Insider :: Bahasa


Ketegangan di Lahad Datu berakhir dengan 14 mati, 3 cedera

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 03:06 AM PST

Oleh Boo Su Lyn
March 01, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, 1 Mac — Insiden pencerobohan di Lahad Datu, Sabah berakhir dengan 14 terbunuh dan tiga cedera selepas pasukan keselamatan bertempur dengan penceroboh bersenjata, polis sahkan hari ini.

The Star Online melaporkan polis berkata perintah berkurung telah dilaksanakan di bandar Lahad Datu dan kawasan sekitarnya sejak jam 4 petang.

"Saya sedih insiden ini berlaku kerana ini yang kami cuba elakkan, yang mana pertumpahan darah berlaku," kata Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak dipetik The Star Online.

Dua belas anggota penceroboh Filipina dan dua komando Malaysia terbunuh dalam pertempuran tersebut.

Tiga anggota polis Malaysia turut tercedera.

Komisioner Polis Sabah Datuk Hamza Taib dipetik The Star Online hari ini berkata penceroboh Filipina itu memulakan tembakan terhadap pasukan keselamatan Malaysia.

"Pegawai kami bertembung dengan beberapa penceroboh yang menembak mereka, memaksa pasukan polis membalas tembakan," kata Hamza.

Anak kepada pemimpin kumpulan tersebut Agbimuddin Kiram, bagaimanapun awal hari ini berkata pihak berkuasa Malaysia memulakan tembakan.

Jumlah anggota penceroboh tersebut yang tercedera masih belum diketahui.

Portal The Philippine Daily Inquirer pula melaporkan jurucakap Kementerian Hubungan Luar Filipina Raul Hernandez hari ini berkata Duta Malaysia Mohammad Zamri Mohammad Kassim telah bertemu dengan pihak Setiausaha Kementerian Hubungan Luar Albert Del Rosario di Manila untuk memaklumkan perkara itu.

Hernandez dilaporkan berkata kerajaan Filipina masih lagi perlu mengesahkan kenyataan jurucakap penceroboh berkenaan bahawa 10 anggotanya terbunuh.

Dianggarkan 180 pemberontak Filipina, termasuk 30 lelaki bersenjata menceroboh Sabah pada 9 Februari lalu dan enggan beredar, walaupun telah diarahkan oleh kedua-dua kerajaan Malaysia dan Filipina.

Reuters turut melaporkan kumpulan bersenjata tersebut menuntut pengiktirafan Malaysia dan rundingan awal pajakan Sabah oleh Sultan kepada syarikat perdagangan British pada kurun ke-19. Malaysia bagaimanapun berkata permintaan mereka tidak akan dapat ditunaikan.

Rakaman video didakwa kejadian tembak menembak di Lahad Datu tersebar di Internet

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 01:36 AM PST

[unable to retrieve full-text content]KUALA LUMPUR, 1 Mac — Sebuah rakaman video yang didakwa kejadian tembak menembak di antara pasukan keselamatan Malaysia dan kumpulan penceroboh bersenjata di Lahad Datu mula tersebar di laman web YouTube. Video berdurasi enam minit itu turut menunjukkan beberapa lelaki membawa senjata, mengenakan pakaian ala tentera yang berkemungkinan dari pihak ...


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The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion

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The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion


Women can be just as good

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 04:29 PM PST

March 01, 2013

Zan Azlee is a documentary filmmaker, journalist, writer, New Media practitioner and lecturer. He runs Fat Bidin Media www.fatbidin.com

MARCH 1 — I've always been a proponent of gender equality. I believe that anything a man does in the world, a woman can do just as well or even better.

And that is why I never hold the door open for my wife whenever we go anywhere. Neither do I carry the groceries when we go shopping. She is woman, hear her roar!

Then my daughter Athena Azlee was born and my feminism spirit soared through the sky. I banned all princess paraphernalia and media content in the house, and Barbie was sent to melt in hell.

Now, I read and consume anything related to gender equality in the media. So I guess I've been quite the feminist, if you can call me that.

I'm a regular listener of the Freakonomics podcast and yesterday, the creators, Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner, released an episode titled "Women are not men".

In it, they highlight the fact that all throughout history, statistics have always shown that women always lagged behind men, be it in the workforce, sports or whatever. And they still do.

Women make less income than men at work even if they are doing the same job. Women hold fewer managerial or authoritative positions compared to men.

And according to the Freakonomists, women also register fewer patents, own fewer copyrights, and are less prone to taking risks that eventually lead to higher payoffs.

But, of course, with more awareness, education and ideal parents like me who are raising daughters, the gender gap is slowly closing, and hopefully will one day disappear.

What is interesting to me is why there is a gap in the first place. And apparently, according to the findings stated in the podcast, it's all to do with culture. So everything can be changed.

So why are women paid lower than men in the workforce? It's because they rarely ask for a raise and are content with what they have compared to men. You could say they are happier than men.

Apparently, statistical data also shows that fewer women drown compared to men and even fewer women are struck by lightning. And why is this significant you might ask?

Well, it's because men are overly confident compared to women. They think they can swim better than they actually do and are more invincible than they really are! So they take more risks.

As reported in the podcast, an economist, Uri Gneezy, conducted a study. He observed the most patriarchal culture in the world, the Masai in Tanzania.

This is a culture that practises female genital mutilation, where men have the right to beat their wives and where women are the ones doing manual labour.

Gneezy got them to play a risk-taking game with tennis balls and, true enough, the women tended to score less in risk-taking compared to the men.

Then he went to the most matriarchal culture in the world where the women were the leaders who made decisions, they were the ones who inherited property, and where children carried the surnames of their mothers.

Yes, just like you, I thought he had visited some small village that practised adat pepatih in Negri Sembilan. But no, he didn't. He actually went to north India and visited the Khasi tribe.

They played the same risk-taking game with tennis balls. And yes, the women scored way higher than the men did. It was almost like a total opposite of the Masai.

So it shows that, aside from the obvious differences between men and women (I'll let you think hard about what they are), women and men can be equals. It really is nurture and not nature.

However, there are areas where women should just maintain being behind men and try not to close the statistical gap. Men are way ahead when it comes to committing crimes. Way to go macho men!

I'm glad I heard the podcast and even more glad that these economists and researchers are doing studies like these for the advancement of the female gender.

But I am most glad to have two females in my life who are actually my life — my wife Jasmine and my daughter Athena. Despite and in spite of everything, it's a perfect life!

So as we enter the month of March, I would like to wish these two sexy girls a happy birthday (their birthdays are only a week apart)! My life is dedicated to the two of you, no doubt about it!

And just like how my parents gave me the confidence to be able to do whatever I wanted in life, I will try my best to do the same for Athena.

She can decide to be a war journalist, documentary filmmaker, fashion designer, cheerleader or whatever (really Jasmine, I swear!). The important thing is that she knows she can do it and that I will have her back.

My mummy Sophia and my poh-poh Ang Swee Poh are pretty awesome too. But I'll write an article for them some other time since they weren't born in March! (Phew! A guy has to cover all the bases!)

* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.

Sekolah, universiti dan masa hadapan pendidikan

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 04:10 PM PST

March 01, 2013

Zul Fikri Zamir ialah seorang guru, felo di dalam Artist for d'Oppressed, pengasas bersama Teach For The Needs (TFTN) dan kaki backpack. Cita-citanya selain membuka sekolah sendiri ialah mengembara menaiki Trans Siberia dari Beijing ke St Petersburg.

1 MAC — Saya percaya pendidikan sifatnya dinamik. Zaman dahulu sebelum sekolah wujud, manusia menuntut ilmu dengan mengembara dan berguru kepada bijak pandai dari satu tempat ke tempat yang lain. Ilmu diperoleh daripada ahlinya menurut bidang tertentu. Kemudian sekolah diperkenalkan, ilmu bertukar tangan dari ahli bijak pandai kepada institusi seperti universiti. Sehingga sekian lama, kita percaya sekolah dan universiti adalah pemilik ilmu.

Sebahagian daripada kita yang tidak mempunyai peluang untuk masuk ke sekolah atau universiti dan diperakukan oleh sekolah dan universiti tersebut akan dikenali sebagai individu yang tidak berilmu. Ilmu kita rujuk hanya melalui sekeping surat perakuan. Kemudian, Internet diperkenalkan, ilmu bercambah dan membiak di dalamnya. Warga dunia mula menyedari bahawa bukan sekolah dan universiti sahaja boleh menawarkan ilmu. Google dan Wikipedia secara tiba-tiba menjadi guru bukan sahaja kepada pelajar, tetapi juga kepada pensyarah universiti.

Revolusi Model "Behaviour"

Awal 1900 atau lebih tepat sekitar 1913, kemunculan model "tingkah-laku" mempengaruhi kajian-kajian psikologi di Barat. Ivan Pavlov lebih awal dengan anjing; John B. Watson menggunakan tikus putih, Harry F. Harlow pula menggunakan monyet; menyebabkan kerangka psikologi Barat secara dasarnya mengkaji psikologi haiwan untuk memahami manusia. 

Ini adalah perkara yang pelik kerana psikologi jiwa manusia tidak boleh disamakan dengan sifat haiwan. Noam Chomsky di dalam "The Case Against B.F. Skinner." (1972) mengkritik metodologi Skinner dengan menyatakan kerja makmal Skinner tidak boleh dirujuk kepada manusia memandangkan Skinner bukanlah seorang saintis kerana beliau menolak fahaman "hypothetico-deductive model of theory testing" serta bukan seorang pakar dalam bidang "tingkah-laku". Tetapi perkara yang perlu diberi perhatian adalah bagaimana psikologi tingkah laku ini digunakan sebagai sains kawalan sosial.

Kerangka pengajaran dan pembelajaran subjek psikologi pendidikan di Fakulti Pendidikan misalnya; perhatikan bagaimana sains "dendaan+ganjaran" diajarkan kepada bakal guru untuk menghasilkan sesebuah tingkah laku yang diingini. Di akhirnya, sebuah masyarakat penakut tercipta kerana diajarkan takut untuk berubah.

Masa Hadapan Ilmu

Penggunaan psikologi haiwan di dalam falsafah psikologi pendidikan ini pada akhirnya melahirkan manusia anti-kemanusiaan. Manusia yang dilahirkan tanpa roh ilmu menggunakan sekolah-sekolah moden dan universiti ini hilang sifat manusianya kerana sikap mereka yang beriman kepada emosi haiwan.

Realiti pendidikan semasa yang meletakkan satu parameter untuk mengukur kesemua "multiple-intelligence" manusia secara linear akan menyebabkan seluruh potensi manusia diukur hanya melalui sekeping sijil seperti ijazah. Sistem penilaian sebegini akan menyebabkan tumpuan berlebihan diberikan kepada aspek penilaian — seterusnya menyebabkan hilangnya roh di dalam proses pencairan ilmu itu sendiri. 

Masa depan harus segera berhenti mengukur anak-anak secara psikiatrik. Generasi pasca Facebook dan Twitter ini harus diberi peluang memilih bahan pembelajaran mereka serta bebas dari kongkongan masyarakat zaman ini yang hanya sedar akan kepentingan diri mereka sendiri.

Masa depan anak-anak zaman ini bergantung kepada bagaimana sikap kita pada hari ini. Zaman-warga tua tahu semuanya sudah berakhir. Kita harus segera berhenti berlagak untuk mencorak masa hadapan mengikut acuan pemikiran kita menurut zaman ini. Yang lebih penting; ilmu pada hari ini akan mencorak kemanusiaan pada masa hadapan.

Kemanusiaan vs Persaingan

Jordan Humphreys (2013) di dalam makalah beliau bertajuk "What is university for? (and what it should be like)" menjelaskan beberapa ciri bagaimana institusi seperti universiti berfungsi untuk memenuhi keperluan kapitalisme. Pertama menurutnya; universiti melatih pekerja kolar putih dan profesional yang kebanyakannya akan memenuhi sektor kerajaan dan korporat. Syarikat besar dikatakan mendapat manfaat besar dengan mengurangkan kos latihan.

Kedua, universiti adalah tempat di mana latihan ideologi dilaksanakan. Eksploitasi sistem kapitalisme ini diajarkan sebagai propaganda. Menurut beliau lagi, pelajar didedahkan dengan pelbagai ideologi pro-kapitalis dan liberalis-kiri; sebuah jalur pemikiran yang mengkritik sistem tetapi tidak menolak kapitalisme secara keseluruhannya. Universiti memainkan peranan penting untuk menghasut masyarakat agar menerima status-quo sebagai sebahagian dari item kemanusiaan.

Peperiksaan tanpa henti, penilaian dan pembentangan kelas adalah latihan untuk menyediakan pelajar kepada persaingan. Bukan lagi sebagai gedung ilmu — universiti kini adalah pusat latihan persaingan; umpama sebuah kilang. Pelajar yang boleh bersaing akan menduduki keas tertentu manakala pelajar yang tidak boleh bersaing menurut kerangka mereka akan ditinggalkan. Sifat kemanusiaan seperti tolong menolong dan saling membantu sebagai manusia tenggelam di dalam cita-cita hubris kapitalis menjadikan pelajar kini sekali lagi kurang sifat kemanusiaannya. Idea seperti solidariti di dalam masyarakat ditukar ganti kepada "persaingan sihat".

Perang Idea

Walaubagaimanapun, zaman berubah. Ini bukan lagi zaman industri di mana negara yang paling banyak membuat senjata akan menguasai dunia. Ini adalah zaman di mana idea dan ilmu yang diamalkan menjadi penentu tamadun sesebuah negara bangsa.

Pendidikan harus segera kembali kepada konsep memanusiakan kembali manusia. Model kerangka berasaskan persaingan harus diseimbangkan dengan sikap kemanusiaan. Ilmu harus bisa mengajarkan psikologi jiwa manusia berbeza dengan emosi haiwan yang diuji di dalam makmal.

Anak-anak harus diajar untuk mempunyai impian yang tinggi, bukan setakat karier yang tidak mampu-capai. Sekolah dan universiti yang di-institusikan menggunakan model "top-down industrialised" bukan lagi cara untuk menyampaikan ilmu. Maklumat lewat Google telah mengambil alih peranan sekolah sebagai penyampai maklumat. Kini guru menjadi pusat pendidikan kritikal yang akan menentukan arah dan hala tuju pelajar — bukan jemaah nazir yang turun ke sekolah setahun sekali.

Ekosistem pendidikan yang semakin terbuka membolehkan perkongsian maklumat dimanfaatkan kepada penjanaan ilmu secara kolektif. Universiti harus berubah dari pemilik ilmu kepada penyebar ilmu. Dalam situasi "real time", anak-anak kita seharusnya terdedah kepada perang idea. Dunia akan membuktikan di dalam peperangan ini, ilmu yang dipraktikkan untuk menyelesaikan masalah masyarakat dan kemanusiaan khususnya akan menang dan menerajui dunia sebagaimana kata Seth Godin, penulis buku "Stop Stealing Dreams (What is school for?)"; "Our job is obvious we need to get out of the way, shine a light, and empower a new generation to teach itself and to go further and faster than any generation ever has. Either our economy gets cleaner, faster, and more fair, or it dies."

Masa hadapan memerlukan pendidikan yang demokratik, inklusif serta tidak tertakluk kepada kuasa popular. Ilmu seharusnya keluar dari perangkap institusi yang menekan dan menindas. Potensi manusia jauh lebih besar dari sekeping kertas kerana di akhirnya ilmu harus diamalkan untuk merawat masalah masyarakat.

Lebih besar dari itu, ilmu bukan untuk ditinggalkan di rak-rak perpustakaan atau di laman web Jurnal ISI/Scopus sahaja.

* Ini adalah pandangan peribadi penulis.

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