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Best restaurant in Latin America found in Brazil Posted: 20 Nov 2013 11:01 PM PST November 21, 2013 Chef Alex Atala's Sao Paulo restaurant D.O.M. was named the best in Latin America and the Caribbean by The Daily Meal. - AFP pic, November 21, 2013.Sao Paulo restaurant D.O.M., helmed by Brazil's celebrity chef Alex Atala, has been named the best restaurant in Latin America and the Caribbean in a list that ranks the top 101 restaurants in these regions. In yet another sign that the gastronomic landscape of Latin America is generating increasing interest in the international culinary world, popular food blog The Daily Meal has become the latest to produce a reference guide to the top restaurants in the region. Leading the list of 101 restaurants is Mexico, which had the largest representation of restaurants at 25, followed by Brazil (17) and Argentina (11). Atala has enjoyed a banner year in 2013: Time magazine included the superstar chef in its Time 100 list of most influential people in the world for breathing new life into his country's food heritage. At D.O.M., indigenous and Amazonian ingredients like wild ants, priprioca (a local root), black rice and pupunha (a native tropical fruit) are elevated into fine dining dishes. This week, Atala again made the international cover of Time magazine, this time with culinary confrères René Redzepi and David Chang to headline a food package entitled "The Gods of Food." Rounding out the top five restaurants on the 101 list is Astrid & Gaston (Lima); Blue by Eric Ripert (Grand Cayman); Central Restaurante (Lima); Kinoshita (Sao Paulo). The Daily Meal's take on the best dining destinations in the region begs for comparison with the inaugural edition of the Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants awards, which also launched this year by the same organizers of the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards. Topping their list was Astrid y Gaston in Lima, helmed by Peruvian celebrity chef Gaston Acurio. In an emailed statement to Relaxnews, The Daily Meal's travel editor Elsa Saatela said they decided to release the list in time for the winter high season in the Caribbean, and summertime travel in South America where the days are beginning to get longer and warmer. "Releasing our 101 list now, in late fall, will give people traveling here a chance to use our list as a guide to find some of the top restaurants in regions all over Latin America and the Caribbean," Saatela said. At Mesamerica, a major food festival in Mexico this year, top chefs from around the world agreed that Latin America is on the vanguard of exciting, trailblazing cuisine and flavors. Spanish culinary legend Ferran Adria is a particularly big fan and celebrity endorser: his latest restaurant project was a Peruvian and Asian-fusion restaurant in Barcelona, Pakta. To arrive at their ranking, The Daily Meal consulted industry experts, local food guides, reviews and listings to come up with a shortlist of 214 restaurants across 25 countries and regions. That was then whittled down to 101 by restaurant critics, food and lifestyle writers and bloggers around the world. – AFP/Relaxnews, November 21, 2013.

London department store debuts champagne vending machine Posted: 20 Nov 2013 03:00 PM PST November 21, 2013 Moet & Chandon is selling mini holiday bottles from a vending machine at Selfridges in London. – AFP/Relaxnews pic, November 21, 2013. After caviar, cupcakes and high-end mascara, now there's a vending machine selling bottles of luxury bubbly by Moet & Chandon. In what some see as the champagne house's attempt at making bubbly more accessible to the general public, the new vending machine at London department store Selfridges dispenses blinged-out mini bottles of bubbly, bedecked with 350 deco-inspired Swarovski mini crystals. The machine is located in the store's Christmas section, where shoppers can stock up on 200 ml bottles for $29 (RM 92.23) for the holidays. It's the latest luxury product to find its way into an automatic dispenser at a time when consumers demand convenience and customer service is becoming increasingly automated. This spring, Selfridges also debuted a vending machine that sold Chanel mascaras for a limited time. And last year, the world's first caviar vending machine debuted in the US for customers with haute snack cravings that go beyond candy bars and chips. The Beverly Hills Caviar machine dispenses containers of caviar along with all the accoutrements needed to throw a caviar fete or satisfy midnight fish egg cravings, including blinis, truffle oil, Mother of Pearl plates and spoons and gourmet salts. – AFP/Relaxnews, November 21, 2013.

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Consecutive defeats reveal England’s low quality and lowered expectations Posted: 20 Nov 2013 03:48 AM PST November 20, 2013 Glum England fans not enjoying what they see. - Reuters pic, November 20, 2013.Successive defeats at Wembley for the first time since 1977 would have provoked an avalanche of criticism in the more deluded days of old, but reaction to a humbling few days for England was muted on Wednesday. The fact that manager Roy Hodgson has not been lampooned as a vegetable, tabloid treatment once dished out to the likes of Bobby Robson and Graham Taylor, highlights how far expectations have fallen. After Tuesday's 1-0 defeat by Germany, four days after a 2-0 loss to Chile, Hodgson was quick to talk up England's year, even though it has ended with two defeats against high-calibre opposition. "We achieved our goal of qualification," he said of securing a slot in the World Cup, but he did admit that he was disappointed by his team's lack of quality. The Daily Mail's back page said England were "Second Rate" while talking of the "gulf in quality" between Hodgson's side and the experimental one fielded by German coach Joachim Loew. The Times said Hodgson had been given "Cold Comfort" while The Independent described captain Steven Gerrard as a "relic of a bygone England era". Unfortunately, the present era looks bleak, with England paying the price for failing to begin a brave new world with fresh blood following the 2010 World Cup exit at the hands of Germany. That is not Hodgson's fault as he has inherited an ageing squad, too many mediocre players and little time to fast-track younger players into the fold. Reaching next year's World Cup finals in Brazil, having picked their way through a none-too-imposing qualifying group, appears to be reason for Hodgson to be satisfied. There was nothing in the displays against Chile or Germany, however, to suggest that England will make an impact in Brazil. With France and Portugal coming through their playoffs on Tuesday, at least five other European nations will head to south America next year with more probable chance of success. On the evidence of the friendlies against Chile and Germany, England have shortcomings all over the pitch. Without John Terry and Rio Ferdinand to call on these days, they look timid and disorganised at the back with centre backs Gary Cahill, Phil Jagielka, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, whichever combination Hodgson chooses, prone to errors and vulnerable to the kind of fast, incisive passing the top nations excel at. The midfield area has plenty of experience with the likes of skipper Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and James Milner, but lacks pace and flair with a huge amount of expectation lumped on the shoulders of Arsenal's Jack Wilshere. Andros Townsend showed fleeting glimpses of his talent and struck a post with England's only noteworthy effort on goal, as they failed once to test Germany's 33-year-old debutant goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller. Wayne Rooney is England's one world class offensive player, but the Manchester United man often looks frustrated in a traditional striking role. The sight of him reduced to chasing down Chilean defenders last week and dropping deeper in a desperate search for possession against Germany was a dispiriting one. Daniel Sturridge, in such rich form for Liverpool, has yet to impose himself on the international stage. but Hodgson has few top-class options, having chosen to discard Peter Crouch, England's most consistently scoring striker in recent years. At Euro 2012 Hodgson adopted a safety-first policy, packing his side with the tried and trusted with predictably unspectacular results, but he will be under pressure to freshen things up in Brazil with the likes of Townsend, Southampton's Adam Lallana and Everton youngster Ross Barkley in the frame. However, all three are new to the international scene and with only one friendly against Denmark in March for a final look at his troops, Hodgson has more questions than answers as he ponders his best side for Brazil. - Reuters, November 20, 2013.

Mandzukic spared villain’s role as Croatia freeze out Iceland Posted: 20 Nov 2013 01:46 AM PST November 20, 2013 Croatia's Mario Mandzukic reacts to his red card. - Reuters pic, November 20, 2013.Mario Mandzukic was able to breathe a sigh of relief after Croatia sealed a World Cup berth with a 2-0 win over Iceland on Tuesday, despite the striker receiving his marching orders for a vicious tackle in the first half. Having given Croatia a 27th-minute lead in the second leg of their playoff after the sides had played out a goalless draw in Rejkyavik, Mandzukic was dismissed 10 minutes later for a studs-up lunge into Johann Gudmundsson's groin. Croatia shrugged off the striker's dismissal, however, and took the contest to Iceland in the second half with captain Darijo Srna sealing victory just two minutes after the break. Mandzukic regretted the rash challenge, but admitted the joy of scoring outweighed the disappointment of any ban he will need to absorb in the group stages of next year's finals in Brazil. "The important thing is that we are through and I am not thinking whether I will miss any of the games or how many," the Bayern Munich forward told reporters. "I scored one of the most important goals of my life, but I trembled after being sent off as I was unnerved about the prospect of turning into a villain if Iceland equalised," he said. The Croatians ended a five-game winless streak with a solid performance after a tepid stalemate in Iceland which came on the back of a poor end to their qualifying campaign in Europe's Group A. Following a 2-0 loss to Scotland in their final group match, Niko Kovac took over as coach from the sacked Igor Stimac and was able to steer the country to an eighth major tournament out of 10 attempts as an independent nation. "Our team morale came to the fore after Mandzukic was sent off and I think everyone played within his limit, excelling both defensively and coming forward," Kovac said. "It's been the 10 most difficult days of my life because I am a young and inexperienced coach. "I want Croatia to be mobile in defence and creative in attack, this is my concept of football and now that we have qualified for the World Cup, we must start nurturing this style at grass-root level," the 42-year-old added. Kovac, who scored 14 goals in 83 appearances in Croatia's midfield, thanked his predecessor for taking the side to within reach of the finals. "Stimac clinched a runner-up spot in a tough group and he deserves plaudits for putting us in the position to qualify," he said. "Now it's up to us to prepare for the World Cup and be in the best possible shape in Brazil." - Reuters, November 20, 2013.

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Singer Adam Levine named People’s sexiest man alive Posted: 19 Nov 2013 09:50 PM PST November 20, 2013 Marron 5 frontman Adam Levine was named People magazine's sexiest man alive yesterday. - Reuters pic, November 20, 2013.Singer Adam Levine, the frontman of the Grammy Award-winning rock group Maroon 5 and a judge on the hit NBC singing show "The Voice," was named People magazine's sexiest man alive, the magazine announced yesterday. The 34-year-old singer-songwriter, who is engaged to Victoria's Secrets model Behati Prinsloo, told People magazine he was taken aback by the announcement. "As a musician, you have fantasies that you want to win Grammys, but I didn't really think that this was on the table," Levine said. "I was just amazed and stunned and it almost seemed like they were kidding, but they weren't, so that's cool." Levine joins an illustrious list of prior winners of the award including Channing Tatum, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Ryan Reynolds, George Clooney and Matt Damon. The singer branched into acting last year with his debut role on the television series "American Horror Story." He also appears in the 2013 film "Can A Song Save Your Life?" with Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo. The movie premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. "This is just a really interesting time where everything seems to be heading in a certain direction," he said. "And I'm not taking any of it for granted." Levine and Maroon 5 launched their fourth studio album "Overexposed" last year, which received mixed reviews from critics. The group shot to fame in 2002 with their debut album, "Songs About Jane." The group's hit singles include "This Love," "She Will be Loved" and "Moves Like Jagger," which features Christina Aguilera. – Reuters, November 20, 2013.

Barbie becomes Jennifer Lopez for a collector’s edition Posted: 19 Nov 2013 09:44 PM PST November 20, 2013 he Barbie Collector Jennifer Lopez wears a version of the striped Zuhair Murad evening gown worn by the real J.Lo to the 2012 Oscars. - AFP pic, November 20, 2013.Mattel has introduced two Barbie dolls inspired by the Latina singer and actress, each modelled after a look worn by J.Lo in 2012. Launched in November, the Jennifer Lopez Barbie is available in two versions: "Red Carpet" and "World Tour." The first doll wears a miniature version of the Zuhair Murad evening gown worn by J.Lo to the 2012 Oscars. The second doll wears a sheer, form-fitting bodysuit embroidered with rhinestones, which is also based on a piece from the Lebanese stylist. The outfit was worn by the singer during her 2012 Dance Again World Tour. These Barbie Collector dolls are likely to appeal to J.Lo's fans, although many of them will be disappointed that Mattel did not give the doll her voluptuous curves. The Barbie Collector Jennifer Lopez edition is available in American toy stores and on Amazon.com from $36 (RM114). – AFP/Relaxnews, November 20, 2013.

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Saudi labour crackdown promises long-term gain for short-term pain Posted: 20 Nov 2013 06:35 AM PST November 20, 2013 Saudi Arabia's crackdown on foreign workers has thrown millions of lives into turmoil and caused rioting in cities, but the economy should benefit in the long run as Saudi nationals fill the gaps and cut their dependence on the state. Nearly a million foreigners have left Saudi Arabia since March, when authorities stopped turning a blind eye to visa irregularities they had tolerated for decades, and tens of thousands more have been detained in raids on offices and marketplaces that began this month. Though most of the roughly 10 million foreigners in the kingdom are expected to remain, alongside a Saudi population of 20 million, the crackdown is part of government efforts to nudge more Saudis into jobs, tackling a problem seen by many as one of the biggest challenges facing the world's top oil exporter. A majority of working-age Saudis do not have jobs, and most who do are employed by the state, often in what economists call well-paid sinecures that bloat a flabby bureaucracy. Official unemployment is 12%, but that excludes a larger group of people who are not actively seeking work. Saudi Arabia's ruling family has long used public employment to distribute oil revenues to its people. In an absolute monarchy, it helps the government maintain its legitimacy. In 2011, when Arab Spring protests were challenging the rule of autocrats across the region, King Abdullah announced hundreds of thousands of new government jobs, pay rises and bonuses, unemployment assistance and cheap housing worth US$110 billion (RM349.8 billion). But as the population grows and higher domestic energy use threatens to eat into oil exports, the state's now-bulging coffers will struggle to maintain such a generous wage bill. All previous efforts to raise Saudi private-sector employment through market-friendly reforms and more punitive measures such as "Saudisation" hiring quotas have stumbled on the ready availability of cheap foreign labour. Business owners have complained that Saudis work less hard than foreigners and won't take jobs they see as menial. This time, by cracking down on visa irregularities that allowed companies to cheat the system, and by spending billions of dollars on vocational training for young Saudis, the authorities hope their policies will be more effective. "The likely impact is hard to quantify because there are so many moving parts," said Steffen Hertog, author of "Princes, Brokers and Bureaucrats", a book on Saudi economic policymaking. He and other economists interviewed by Reuters said they expected the tough new policies to improve the kingdom's economy in the long run, despite some disruption now. The government is well placed to weather any short-term costs after years of record budget surpluses that have created foreign currency reserves equal to more than 100% of gross domestic product. Annual real economic growth has averaged 6.3% in the past five years, according to IMF figures. Small unregistered companies - mechanical workshops, cheap restaurants and grocery shops - face the biggest immediate impact, and the kingdom's newspapers have documented the consequences, including drinking water deliveries cancelled, crops not harvested and school classes suspended. But much goes unrecorded. "An element of the labour crackdown will not be captured in the official numbers. Many of these people are not working in the formal economy, so you don't see it in the data," said Paul Gamble, director of Fitch Ratings. Many small businesses are illegally owned and run by foreigners, while a Saudi is paid to put his name to any official paperwork. Hertog said closures would have an effect on daily life in the short term, raising prices of some services, but would not have much impact on the wider economy. More immediate problems are faced in the construction sector, which relies on a plentiful supply of cheap workers. A shortage of workers and a new US$640 (RM2,035) annual fee companies have to pay to hire expatriates have caused delays to many projects, pushed up construction prices and forced some companies out of business, local press has reported. Higher construction costs will be passed on to clients, and delays are causing bottlenecks for businesses attempting to expand, but most big projects in Saudi Arabia are commissioned by state-owned companies. "Forty percent of the medium and small companies have been hit. New tenders are becoming more expensive," said Fahad al-Hammady, chairman of the contractors' committee at the Saudi Chambers of Commerce. Despite the exodus of foreign workers in the past 10 months, second-quarter growth in the non-oil private sector was 4.2%. Meanwhile, the official inflation rate has remained stable. One benefit of having more workers registered should be better economic planning. "It's an audit of the labour market. Until they know who is there and what they're doing, it is difficult to calibrate policy," said Gamble. Transparency is important for implementing labour reforms, in which some sectors such as retail have been targeted for higher rates of Saudi employment. Economists also said private-sector productivity should improve if labour becomes more expensive. "Companies have to be more efficient and less labour oriented, using technology better. It could lead to an output shift in how the economy operates," said John Sfakianakis, chief investment strategist at Masic, a Saudi investment company. The biggest economic advantage of replacing foreign workers with Saudis, however, is raising household income, thereby boosting consumer spending. That is being felt. Muhammad al-Agil, chairman of Jarir Marketing, the biggest listed Saudi retailer, told Reuters last month that rapidly growing sales over the past two years were partly due to the higher number of Saudis with jobs. Instead of money being sent overseas by expatriates, he said, it was now being spent in Saudi shops. In May the Labour Ministry said its new policies had created over 600,000 jobs for Saudis in the previous year, but it is not clear if those jobs are sustainable. In the past some have taken on Saudis in meaningless positions just to meet the quotas. Others have said locals were unqualified or reluctant to take the jobs. Nobody expects Saudis to work as manual labourers on construction sites or as domestic servants, but in recent years a growing number of young Saudis have taken jobs, such as shop assistants, that they may have disdained in the past. Agil said two fifths of his shop-floor employees and 85% of his office workers are Saudis. Higher Saudi employment in the private sector would  reduce the burden on the state of efforts to lift living standards with higher government wages and other handouts. "From Fitch's perspective the labour market reform is something we view positively," said Gamble. - Reuters, November 20, 2013.

Russian oligarch opens Faberge egg museum Posted: 19 Nov 2013 07:05 PM PST November 20, 2013 A woman looks at jeweled egg 'Lily of the valley' created by Peter Carl Faberge at the Faberge Museum in St. Petersburg. - AFP pic, November 20, 2013.Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg opened a museum yesterday to display his glittering collection of Faberge eggs, once owned by the tsars, in the former imperial capital of Saint Petersburg. The new Faberge Museum located in the Shuvalov Palace in the city centre put on display nine of the eggs, once given as Easter gifts by the royal family, as well as thousands of jewelled objets d'art from icons to cigar cases. Vekselberg bought the collection of eggs from the estate of the late Malcolm Forbes, the US publisher of Forbes magazine in 2004, vowing to bring them back to Russia. "We started this project more than 10 years ago, and we are happy to present the result to you," Vekselberg said at the opening. The jewelled eggs with enamel and painted details include one given by the last tsar Nicholas II to his mother, Maria Fyodorovna, which is decorated with his portrait as well as that of his heir, Alexei. Another made to celebrate the first anniversary of Nicholas II's coronation has a surprise inside: a model of a tiny gold carriage. Others contain a gold hen and an enamelled rosebud. The 18th-century mansion housing the museum originally belonged to Ivan Shuvalov, a favourite of Tsarina Elizabeth Petrovna. It was used for welcoming international delegations in Soviet days. "The inauguration of this museum is a great event for all of Russia," said Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky at the opening. "Now we have the chance to see this beautiful and precious collection in Saint Petersburg." He stressed that the museum was entirely privately funded. "Not a single kopeck was spent from the Russian budget." Vekselberg is worth some $15.1 billion (RM 48 billion), making him Russia's fourth richest businessman, according to Forbes magazine, which estimated tbe value of his art collection at $850 million (RM2.7 billion). Court jeweller Peter Carl Faberge made around 50 of the eggs. The family tradition began in 1885 when Tsar Alexander III gave his wife, Maria Fyodorovna, a richly jewelled egg for Easter. The Bolsheviks sold many of the eggs abroad to raise money after the October Revolution. Others were smuggled out by relatives of the last tsar's family, who were shot in 1918. Vekselberg's collection of Faberge objects is rated as one of the world's most valuable. When he bought them, the price was not disclosed, but the collection had previously been valued at $90 million (RM286 million). Each room of the museum was monitored by a security guard at the opening. The museum will open to the public in December. – AFP/Relaxnews, November 20, 2013.

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Explosive book claims cereal destroys your brain Posted: 19 Nov 2013 08:05 PM PST November 20, 2013 Every time you tuck into a bowl of cereal or plate of pasta, you're killing your brain. That's the dramatic diagnosis of a US neurologist whose recently published New York Times best seller has captured media headlines for calling wheat, carbohydrates and sugar "the brain's silent killer." According to Dr. David Perlmutter's book "Grain Brain," all carbs - even the ones that are touted as healthy like whole grains - can cause everything from dementia, ADHD and anxiety to chronic headaches and depression. In fact, the Florida-based neurologist goes so far as to claim that the human requirement for dietary carbs is "none - none whatsoever." It's a theory that goes beyond simply advocating a low-carb diet for weight loss, or a gluten-free diet for those who suffer from celiac disease or gastrointestinal discomfort. Instead, the bold claims turn the pillars of the Western diet on their head, vilifying whole grains and wheat as agents of disease. Perlmutter's take on the best dietary way to optimize brain power? A fat-rich, low-carb diet. Foods he approves of, for instance, include avocados, olive oil, nuts, cheeses and salmon. Foods high on the Glycemic Index and those that contain gluten should be avoided, including foods that have long been touted as healthy forms of carbs such as wheat, rye, bulgur, barley and oats. In essence, Perlmutter's prescription for a brain-friendly diet could be described as a variation of the gluten-free diet, the Paleo diet or the Atkins diet. On the last, the doctor tries to differentiate the Grain Brain diet by saying that while the Atkins diet makes no distinction between fatty, grain-fed meats, which are high in inflammatory Omega-6 fats, Perlmutter recommends meat, fowl and fish that are grass-fed, free range or wild caught. – AFP/Relaxnews, November 20, 2013.

Ex-Mandela colleagues aim to complete “Long Walk to Freedom” sequel Posted: 18 Nov 2013 07:17 PM PST November 19, 2013 Photographers take pictures in front of a poster of former president Nelson Mandela during a news conference with the cast of the biographical film 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom', November 2, 2013. Former colleagues of Mandela are working to complete the sequel to Mandela's autobiography. - Reuters pic, November 19, 2013.Former colleagues of Nelson Mandela are working to complete a book that South Africa's first black president began writing shortly before he left office as a sequel to his autobiography "Long Walk to Freedom", his archivist said yesterday. In the first draft of "The Presidential Years", dated Oct. 16, 1998 and seen by Reuters at the Nelson Mandela Foundation archives, the anti-apartheid hero writes of the hopes, fears and fragilities of liberation movements the world over. Two decades after the end of white minority rule, some sections may make uncomfortable reading for the present leaders of Mandela's African National Congress (ANC) and President Jacob Zuma, who is embroiled in a scandal over a $20 million (RM63.7 million) taxpayer-funded upgrade to his private home. "History never stops to play tricks even with seasoned world-famous freedom fighters," Mandela wrote after outlining the struggle of successful liberation movements to introduce clean government and narrow the gap between rich and poor. "Frequently, erstwhile revolutionaries have easily succumbed to greed and the tendency to divert public resources for personal enrichment ultimately overwhelmed them," continued Mandela, who is now 95 and in poor health. "By amassing vast personal wealth, and by betraying the noble objectives which made them famous, they virtually deserted the masses of the people and joined the former oppressors, who enriched themselves by mercilessly robbing the poorest of the poor," he wrote, without naming anyone. Since Mandela left office in 1999 after just one term, South Africa has slid down the rankings in global graft watchdog Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index from 38th in 2001 to 69th last year. After 19 years of ANC rule, Africa's biggest economy also remains one of the world's most unequal societies. While many South Africans still endure deep poverty, unemployment and bad housing, some senior ANC officials are prospering. For instance, Cyril Ramaphosa - Zuma's deputy as leader of the ANC who was once touted as a successor to Mandela - was named this month as Africa's 29th richest man by Forbes magazine, worth $700 million (RM2.22 billion). "Long Walk to Freedom", Mandela's 1994 work that covers his early life and almost three decades in jail, has just been made into a film. However, with Mandela laid low for months by a lung infection and unable to speak because of tubes in his throat, according to ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, there is no prospect of his ever completing the sequel. Mandela Foundation chief executive Sello Hatang said former colleagues had begun the attempt to finish the work, based on Mandela's own writings, other archive material and their personal recollections of the Nobel peace laureate. "It's a collective work, a project by the people who worked with Mandela in that office," Hatang told Reuters at the Foundation in Johannesburg, where Mandela spent his professional time after leaving office. He declined to say who was working on the book or when it might be published. Intriguingly, a page attached by paper-clip to the hand-written first draft lists five people who are to be given copies of the 10 chapters of the book "on a strictly confidential basis". The five are Ramaphosa, former Foundation chief executive John Samuels, Zuma's current spokesman Mac Maharaj, former ANC heavyweight Joel Netshitenzhe and then Zuma himself. It makes no mention of Mandela's immediate successor, Thabo Mbeki. The manuscript also provides insight into Mandela's personal thoughts. On the back of one page, he calculates his years spent behind bars (1990 - 1962 = 28), as well as his age at the start of his incarceration, and then at his release in 1990. In another passage he describes his awkwardness at being put on a pedestal by his countrymen and millions more around the globe. "One issue that deeply worried me in prison was the false image that I unwittingly projected to the outside world; of being regarded as a saint," he wrote. "I never was one even on the basis of an earthly definition of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying." - Reuters, November 19, 2013.

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A star is born Posted: 19 Nov 2013 04:16 PM PST November 20, 2013 Cass Shan started off as a copywriter tasked with understanding buying behaviour. She now immerses herself in understanding buy-in behaviour. Samantha Tan has been making the news since her successful attempt to raise funds for her education at the prestigious and renowned Actors Studio Drama School in Pace University, New York. She recently completed her training and fulfilled her dreams of learning a craft she's passionate about from some of the world's best. Looking back at how a young Malaysian cleared obstacles through her path with steely ambition to inspire people from everywhere, especially aspiring Malaysian artistes, one wonders what she's made of. To know who she is, one must acknowledge the controversy her blog generated. It was a spark of genius by her partner to aid her fund-raising cause when she was accepted into The Actor's Studio – a feat no other Malaysian has achieved. While it started out as a shot in the dark by the pair, it quickly rose into a passionate debate over why strangers should contribute to the cause. I have seen her sterling debut performance in the locally produced film "5:13", directed by her equally able partner, in which she played a starring role. I came away impressed both with the eerie finesse demonstrated by the film-makers in tackling such a heavy subject through artistic interpretation. But what caught my attention was Samantha Tan, who doubles as a model, and her choice of character and powerful performance. Despite possessing good looks – and being paid for them – she chose an unconventional role as a special-needs person on medication, throwing away the option of playing it safe as a starlet in her debut role, to take on a challenging role, minus the make-up. Bare-faced and without the veil of heavy make-up, the emotions she played shone through and revealed her strength as an actress. Hence, her choice of seeking training baffled me at first. I was convinced she had what it takes to make it on her own simply through that performance alone. As I watched her audition video for the Actors Studio, I was curious to know why she chose a rather conventional role of the jilted girlfriend when she had so much more to showcase. Her choice of what seemed to me like hiding behind heavy make-up appeared odd for someone who already had the beauty and talent to shine on her own. It was only later that I realised that models can be insecure about their looks despite being paid for their looks. I envy her looks – it's one of a strong character with Asian features that she wears both with pride and confidence. She stands out as a Malaysian who made it abroad with her authentic Chinese looks and unquestionably made her nation proud. The controversy that was sparked raised the question of whether it was worth it, contributing to a stranger in pursuit of her dreams. What people should realise is that a talent will never go unnoticed. The debate that transpired only shows that people genuinely care for someone when they reach out and ask for help. Regardless of the points made, the fact that it inspired such a hearty discussion only shows that people understand the challenges faced by the acting community and emphatise with the issues faced by aspiring talents. The fact that she won multiple scholarships to pursue her dreams only demonstrates that hard work, an impressive resume and the willingness to seek help will result in an outpouring of support and empathy for one. I'm inspired by her success and am motivated to pursue my own dreams by the token of her guts, courage, determination and true passion for her beliefs and dreams. I am encouraged by her strong will to forgo her naysayers and put on a brave front in her quest towards fulfilling her ambition. Now this is one woman to watch. She has made us proud to be Malaysians. - November 20, 2013. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

Perihal khutbah Jumaat yang melesukan Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:19 PM PST November 19, 2013 Shukur mempunyai lebih 30 tahun pengalaman sebagai wartawan dan bekerja dengan pelbagai media. Beliau kini pencen tetapi menjadi pemerhati politik yang tegar. Perihal jemaah sering terlena ketika khutbah Jumaat dibacakan tidaklah memeranjatkan sangat, kerana itu tidaklah juga memeranjatkan apabila Sasterawan Negara A. Samad Said berasa jengkel mendengar khutbah Jumaat berunsur  politik mengampu. Tindakan pihak berkuasa menyediakan teks khutbah Jumaat yang berunsur politik tidak menyenangkan Datuk A Samad Said sehingga menyebabkan beliau mendirikan solat Jumaat di Masjid India sejak dua minggu lalu. Sasterawan Negara itu berkata, beliau selesa mendengar khutbah di Masjid India kerana tidak perlu memahami kandungan khutbah tersebut yang dibacakan menggunakan bahasa Tamil. "Saya biasa mendirikan solat Jumaat di Masjid Negara tetapi dua minggu lalu saya solat di Masjid India kerana saya tidak suka khutbah di Masjid Negara apabila khatibnya membaca khutbah bukan berkhutbah. "Perpindahan itu sengaja saya lakukan supaya saya tidak tahu isi kandungan khutbahnya (dalam bahasa Tamil). Senang hati saya. Kerana khutbah sekarang dijadikan medan politik," katanya. Memang sejak lama, kebanyakan khutbah Jumaat dipersembahkan dengan cara yang membosankan baik dari segi tema mahupun bahasa serta penyampaiannya. Rungutan ini bukan perkara baru, namun sejauh ini belum terlihat perubahan, iaitu sama ada disedari oleh pihak berkuasa, penulis khutbah  mahupun penyampai (khatib) khutbah itu sendiri. Keadaan ini terus berlanjutan, memberi gambaran bahawa pihak berkenaan seolah-olah yakin para jamaah akan tetap mendengar khutbah itu kerana mendengar khutbah adalah kewajipan jemaah tetapi jangan lupa bahawa pada saat khutbah itu dibacakan, ada jemaah terlena. Malah, pada suatu masa dulu, saya terdengar rungutan seorang khatib, "saya lihat sendiri ketika saya menyampaikan khutbah, ramai yang tersengguk-sengguk, ada yang terus terlena." Memang masalah khutbah yang tidak mencabar minda ini terus berlarutan menyebabkan ada pendapat mengatakan bahawa 'mendengar khutbah seperti minum ubat batuk, yang menyebabkan mata mengantuk'. Ada dua hal mengenai perosalan khutbah Jumaat ini – di mana-manapun – iaitu khatib berkhutbah atau khatib membaca khutbah. Biasanya, khatib membaca khutbah yang disediakan oleh pihak berkuasa dan ini statusnya adalah rasmi dan biasanya bersifat pandangan pihak berkuasa, menggesa rakyat itu dan ini. Malah ada yang menyatakan kebaikan suatu perojek atau rancangan kerajaan yang kadang-kadang sama sekali tidak dihubungkan dengan pendekatan agama. Adapun yang dikatakan berkhutbah, bukan membaca khutbah, ialah sang khatib bebas menyampaikan khutbahnya, tanpa teks. Ini pun kadang-kadang mengundang masalah, apabila ia tidak dapat mengawal emosinya, lalu menyentuh hal-hal yang sensitif, menghentam pelbagai pihak dengan emosi tanpa fakta dan tidak munasabah. Ada cadangan yang boleh difikirkan, iatu: Teks khutbah direka dalam bentuk multimedia, setiap masjid perlu menggunakan sistem bunyi yang canggih, papan layar digital berteknologi tinggi yang besar di depan para jemaah. Selain itu, setiap penyampaian khutbah mempunyai elemen bergambar, bunyi suara, video pendek, sementara teks khutbah boleh dicetak dalam bentuk cakera padat atau risalah biasa terlebih awal dan letakkan di pintu utama masjid untuk diagihkan kepada jemaah sebagai bahan rujukan ilmu. Cadangan ini memang wajar  dan bersifat teknikal. Tetapi apa yang juga sangat penting di sini ialah isi khutbah itu sendiri, bagaimana hujah dan pendekatannya yang boleh diterima oleh jemaah hari Jumaat. Persoalan bahawa khutbah itu sentiasa memaparkan propaganda pihak berkuasa masih boleh diatasi dengan bijaksana supaya dapat diterima oleh jemaah, terutamanya generasi masa kini. Ini ialah kerana persepsi dan cara berfikir generasi masa kini yang memiliki critical thinking dan mahu bertanya serta mahu mengetahui reason, bukan Pak Turut seperti sesetengah generasi masa lalu. Kehendak generasi baru yang mendengar khutbah tidak boleh dipandang sepi. Jemaah yang ada di depan khatib yang menyampaikan khutbah termasuklah jemaah daripada generasi baru seperti ini. Memang tidak dapat dinafikan bahawa institusi masjid berada di bawah kawalan pihak berkuasa, maka itu biasanya khutbah Jumaat turut memperkatakan mengenai rancangan pihak berkuasa sama ada rancangan eknommi, pendidikan, sosial dan sebagainya. Cuma di sini bergantung kepada kebijaksanaan dan kemahiran penulis khutbah itu sendiri sama ada isu yang hendak disampaikan dalam khutbah itu berbentuk propaganda totok yang menuntut jemaah menerimanya, atau ditulis dan disampaikan secara intelektual. Iaitu dengan hujah yang dapat diterima akal akan kemunasabahannya, walapun, umpamanya, mengenai GST atau cukai lain serta isu ekonomi, pendidikan, sosial dan lain-lain. Perihal khutbah yang melesukan ini juga disebabkan memiliki kelemahan, terutama mengenai penyusunan ayat yang mendukung mesej yang hendak disampaikan. Kadang-kadang bahasanya kaku, flow of ideanya tidak tersusun dengan baik. Ada perkataan dan ayat yang mendukung mesej tidak disusun dengan menarik, iaitu menggunakan susunan ayat cara lama, tidak terkini. Benar bahasa khutbah Jumaat bukan bahasa sastera, seperti cerpen, sajak dan novel, justru ia bahasa peringatan dan 'pesan dakwah', tetapi jangan lupa bahawa bahasa yang disusun baik, segar, jelas dan tidak kaku akan lebih menarik pendengar. Kerana itu, penulis khutbah perlulah menambah ilmu dari segi tata bahasa dan bagaimana menulis khutbah dengan bahasa yang tepat, jitu, indah dan tidak meleret-leret. Perlu diingat bahawa bahasa adalah mekanisme yang penting untuk menyampaian ingatan dan 'pesan dakwah'. Nas-nas Al-Quran dan hadis tetap saja menjadi paksi khutbah Jumaat, seperti juga kuliah agama yang disampaikan dipelbagai majlis. Oleh itu alangkah baik jika petikan Al-Quran dan hadis itu diserapkan dengan cara yang sangat menarik dalam menyusun khutbah. Ini bukan bermakna hendak mengubah ayat Al-Quran dan hadis itu, tetapi meletakkannya dalam khutah itu dengan cara yang sangat menarik. Kesimpulannya, adalah wajar para penulis khutbah, malah khatib yang menyampaikan mengadakan pertemuan dan perbincangan bagaimana cara hendak meningkatkan mutu khutbah. Jika mutu khutbah sudah ditingkatkan, tetapi masih ada lagi jemaah yang terus terlina ketika khutbah disampaikan, maka itu bukan salah khutbah dan khatib, tetapi jemaah yang selalu terlena itulah yang perlu sedar akan perlunya mendengar khutbah. – 19 November, 2013. * Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.

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